The Echo
by Jezzi
Summary: Sequel to Lie In The Sound. When Rikku returns to Besaid with the baby, Gippal returns alone to Djose. But can Rikku handle Telan alone... can Gippal handle being alone at all? Completed February 19, 2006. Sequel: Journey's End.
1. The Breakdown

_**The Echo  
**__**Chapter 1: The Breakdown**_

* * *

I walked down the highroad, the cold wind hitting my face, biting me like a thousand tiny needles. I pulled my jacket closer around my body, seeking what shelter I could from the cold.

I wanted to pack my things once more and leave this place, this weather that so clearly reflected my current state of mind. I wanted to emerge into the sunshine once more, to catch a boat to the islands… to be with my family once again. I was lonely, miserable, with only my workers for company. But my wants were only wants. No matter how much I wanted to go to Besaid, to follow… I couldn't. She didn't want me there.

I stopped when I reached the first bridge that spanned over the tidal pools and leaned against the cold, ancient stone. The waves were crashing against the rock outcroppings just offshore, sending cold spray into the air in huge white spurts, a momentary blizzard of ice cold sea water. The ocean here was so different than it had been back in Luca. Whereas the ocean in Luca had seemed forgiving, the waters here were dark and angry, never calm, never warm… it only furthered my constant melancholy.

I watched for a long while, not noticing as the clouds opened up and rain began to pour from the heavens. A branch of lightning struck an outcropping far out in the bay, and I was startled out of my contemplation. With a sigh, I jogged across the bridges and into the temple courtyard, which was empty. With a final glance at the sky, I pushed open the heavy doors. It was quiet inside the main room of the temple. A few Al Bhed workers were talking softly near the statue of High Summoner Braska. Adena was standing just inside the door with a towel, and I grinned at her dispiritedly as she handed it over.

"Oui ghuf sa duu famm." I wrapped the towel around my neck as I removed my dripping jacket. Hastily, I entered the small mudroom just off the entrance, one of the many add-on's that we'd made to the temple, and hung the jacket in the corner.

Adena glanced at me with both amusement and concern. "Famm, ev oui ynah'd ehceta fungehk ouincamv du taydr, oui'na uid drana dnoehk du vnaawa ouincamv." As I towel dried my hair, we walked up the stairs toward my office.

"You have a visitor waiting… I hope you don't mind that I let her in." Hope filled my mind as I quickly opened the door, looking inside.

It was gone as soon as it had come, though. It was only Paine, and though I was glad to see her… she wasn't Rikku. "Thanks, Adena." She nodded and closed the office door as I walked over to Paine, uncharacteristically quiet. "Hey, Dr. P."

"Hey." She was sitting in the chair in front of my desk. I was a bit nervous, seeing her here. "Nothing's wrong, Gippal, if that's what you look all scared about."

I grinned slightly. "You know me too well, too."

She nodded, the hint of a smile on her lips. "Yeah, I do." She thought for a moment, gazing out the small window behind the desk. "I might as well just tell you why I'm here." She pointed to the desktop, and I hesitantly sat in my chair. "I made a sphere for you."

"Of what?"

She was silent for a moment. "Rikku and Telan. I've been making it for a long time, actually. But I knew you'd want to see them, and I knew you wouldn't defy Rikku's idiotic wishes and come to Besaid."

The little blue sphere sat on my desk. I hesitated for a moment, meeting her bright red eyes. She held my gaze for a moment, and then looked back toward the window. Then, I picked up the little blue ball and closed my eyes before starting the playback.

The first shots were of Rikku, apparently just after she'd arrived on Besaid. She wasn't yet showing. I watched as she lay back in the sand with Tidus, staring up at the sky as they talked quietly; as she sat around the bonfire in the middle of the village, staring into the flames distractedly; as she sat at the edge of the dock with Yuna, swinging her legs back and forth.

As I continued to watch, I noticed the small changes in Rikku's body as the pregnancy began to move forward. I laughed as she modeled for the camera, showing off her swollen belly and laughing.

Tidus and Yuna were chasing each other across the beach, and then, the camera turned on Rikku. She was holding little Vidina, sitting in the surf, and looking very awkward, her middle defying the logic of her otherwise tiny physique. She was wearing a ridiculous floppy hat, until the toddler threw it into the water, letting loose strands of hair blow about in the ocean breeze. When Yuna took the little boy into the deeper water, Rikku stood and watched, her hands on her abdomen. "Yuna, c'mere!" she called out. After Yuna and Vidina had felt the baby kicking, Yuna and Rikku splashed about in the water. When she finally came back onto the beach, someone put the ridiculous hat back on her head, and she laughed and looked toward the camera, making a face as pieces of sand and drips of water fell from the brim of the hat.

She sat on the dock, watching as two dolphins swam about the cove, a sad expression on her face. As the sun began to go down, she laboriously pushed herself to her feet and walked slowly down the beach toward the village.

I knew the next images quite well. She was in the hospital, yelling loudly as she clung to Tidus' hand. Tidus yelled loudly too, and I chuckled a bit. The next shots were of an unconscious and pale Rikku. I looked out the window for a moment as well.

And then came the shots of Telan, mostly as she slept or cooed up into the camera. A soft smile made its way onto my face… I missed my daughter, now that I knew about her. I hated not seeing her every morning, rocking her to sleep in the evenings. I held her, in one of the screenshots, lovingly rocking the little pink bundle. During the time spent in Luca, I'd never realized just how bad I had looked, myself. My skin was pale as Rikku's, the bags under my eyes dark and heavy.

And finally, there were pictures of Rikku and Telan on Besaid, presumably shot in the week and a half since we'd left Luca. I stopped the playback as tears threatened to fill my eyes.

"How could she do this to me, Paine? I want to be there. I want to be with her, with our daughter." I was silent as I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. "I'm miserable without them."

"They're miserable without you, too. It may not look it, but… Telan cries a lot more often, lately. And she won't quiet down for Rikku, not like she quieted down for you." Our eyes met again, and I could see the unasked question.

"I can't, Paine. I have to hope that when she's ready, she'll want me around. It's killing me to do it, but if she doesn't want me there, then I won't go."

Paine stood and shook her head as she walked toward the door. "Both of you are too stubborn for your own good." When she was gone, I looked down at the little sphere in my hands, and carefully tucked it away within a drawer. I walked to the tiny window and looked out at the angry waters again, trying to drive back my own frustration.

I was too angry to control myself, and I kicked the wall, leaning my forehead against the cold stone wall of the temple, regretting the fact that I didn't have the courage to follow her… regretting that I hadn't followed her back when she'd wanted me to do so.

* * *

"_Can I have her for a few minutes?" Her eyes were guilty as she met mine, hastily avoiding my gaze. _

"_Yeah… yeah, go ahead." She carefully passed Telan to me, avoiding touching me at all costs. I looked over at the ship that was almost ready to depart, and reached for her hand. Her shocked green eyes met mine as I squeezed lightly. _

"_I just need a few minutes." My voice was quiet. I could see Yuna staring at Rikku in disbelief from across the platform. Rikku glanced over at her and quickly pulled her hand away, grabbing her bags and staring down at the ground. _

"_I need to… go and load this stuff…" She stepped away hurriedly, leaving me alone with our daughter in the center of the dock, surrounded by our friends. The situation was almost embarrassing, but I didn't care. I slowly strolled off the dock, out of the line of sight of the others. _

_As I felt Telan grab a fistful of my shirt, the familiar motion I'd come to love and cherish, I lost hold of the calm I'd maintained since the night before. My eyes filled with tears as I took a seat on a lonely bench, propping her in front of me, my hands supporting her head and back. I looked into her blue-green eyes, now more green than blue, as she wriggled around in my grip. I smiled at her and ran my thumb along the back of her little hand. _

"_I want you to know something, Telan. I know you can't answer me or anything, but you've been really good at listening this whole time, and that's all I need you to do, okay? I love you. You're my girl, and I want to be with you and mommy forever. I never, ever want to leave you, angel. You're my world, sweetheart, and I'm going to come and visit you soon. Mommy just needs time right now, time to spend with you, without me around. I'm always going to be there for you, sweetie…" A tear fell from my cheek; I shuddered and pulled my daughter close, draping her little body over my shoulder as I'd so often done, smoothing her angelic blonde hair back into place. "I know you probably don't know what's going on, but… I want you to know that I don't want to go home. It won't be home without you and your mother…" _

_I cried for a moment, holding her softly. "I don't want to leave you, angel, I love you." I heard a small sob, and looked up to find Rikku standing not far away, her face in her hands. I stood and walked to where she stood, reluctant. _

_I placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at me, tear-stains running down her cheeks, her beautiful green eyes washed out. "Gippal-" she began. I shook my head and smoothed Telan's hair once more, suddenly uncomfortable. "Don't tell me it's okay… please don't."_

"_I wasn't going to. Because it isn't okay, Rikku… this is _not_ okay." I was crying again, and I was angry. "You never told me about her in the first place, and I've been here for almost two weeks, scared to death that you were going to die… I took care of her, I loved her the moment I saw her, the moment I found out she existed, and you are taking her away from me and _that is not **okay**_!" I hadn't realized that I'd raised my voice until Telan began to cry. Rikku and I both stared at her, and I bounced her softly. _

"_I know." She was staring at the floor again._

"_Rikku, look at me." She didn't move. "Please." There was a hesitation, but then she looked up once more. "I want to see her. I want to be part of her life… and yours." She closed her eyes, as if in pain, and I lovingly traced her cheek with my fingers. "I'll always be there when you need me. I'm just a call away, Cid's girl. I know you don't want me to follow you, and I won't. But when you need me, you know where I'll be, and I'll come running if you ask me to." Her tears were flowing freely, as mine were. "I love you, Rikku… I always have, and I always will, no matter what happens. And I know that somewhere in that confusing heart of yours, you love me, too."_

_I kissed Telan on the forehead and passed her gently to Rikku. She began to cry, that painful cry that had only come once before. I remembered the nurses saying something about that kind of cry, and how babies could sense it when something was wrong. "It's okay, sweetie, go with Mama now…" Rikku bounced her and patted her back in an effort to calm her, but she only cried louder. _

"_It's okay, baby, it's okay…" Rikku looked at me, tears still in her eyes, and I looked away. I walked the two of them back toward the dock and bid everyone farewell, my heart breaking as Telan continued to cry. Once the others were on the ship, I gave Telan one last kiss, and gave Rikku a tentative hug. _

_She boarded the ship, and within moments, it was moving away from the dock. Telan cried even louder as the ship moved away, and Rikku stared straight at me, rocking Telan back and forth as she did so. I stood in the center of the dock until the ship was out of sight. _

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_I hope all of you enjoyed this first chapter! Thanks for reading! Thanks to **FairyIce** for betaing. _

_Please Review!_


	2. Waterfalls

_**The Echo  
**__**Chapter 2: Waterfalls**_

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"_Besaid, up ahead!" a sailor called out. Other sailors answered him with a laugh._

"_Home again, and thankful for it!" another one answered. I sat quietly on the stairs near the bow, staring out at the small outline of island that had appeared upon the horizon. It seemed that I was the only one who was not happy to coming back. Oh, I pretended to be excited about returning to Besaid, but I wasn't. The moment I'd gotten on and looked into Gippal's lonely, sad eyes… I'd wanted off. But I hadn't moved, and now, here I was, my daughter asleep in my arms, returning to the little island I'd imprisoned myself on nearly six months ago._

_After I'd retrieved my belongings from the cabin I shared with Yuna, I returned to the deck, watching as we pulled into the harbor. I was silent as the others chatted, staring out at the sand on the beach. The Aurochs joined us on the deck, and the din only worsened. My hands were shaking, I realized, and I busied them with straightening Telan's clothing. As the crew began to busy themselves with the riggings, I moved quietly to the back of the ship, staring out at the open ocean. _

Why am I so stupid_? I asked myself, my eyes stuck on the trail we'd left in the surf. Telan's little fingers wrapped around my hair, and I softly pulled it from her grip, letting her hold my index finger, instead. I closed my eyes as I felt the familiar stinging behind them, warning me of tears. I kissed her little fingers softly, leaning my forehead against hers as I took a deep, steadying breath. Her hand tightened around my finger. _How could I take her away from him

_I faced away from the harbor as we sailed into it, but once the ramp was lowered, I had no choice but to depart, to take to the land once more. _

_I took great care not to jostle Telan as I walked onto the dock. Yuna waited for me, watching me carefully. Wakka had my bags, and Lulu waited for the three of us at the end of the dock, as the men trudged off along the beach toward the village. I approached her tentatively and gave her a smile. _

"_I'm glad to be back…"_

_I nodded, my fake smile still on. "Me too." How could I lie to others so easily? How could I lie to _myself_ so easily? The two of us walked to the end of the dock slowly. Lulu wasn't watching me as closely as she could have. "Where's Paine?"_

"_She went ahead to the village." Lulu patted Vidina on the back. I grinned; both children were asleep, tired from the long boat trip. _

_As we reached the sand, I kicked off my shoes and bent to pick them up. I'd always loved the feel of the sand between my toes; it comforted me, if only just a bit. Evening was setting in, the sun sinking in the sky. "Tazy ji, silr?" I said quietly, my hair streaming behind me in the wind. _

_Yuna glanced at me, a confused expression on her face. "Fryd tu oui sayh?" she asked, following my gaze to the sky. _

_I shook my head quietly. "I'll meet the two of you at the village, alright?" _

_Yuna sighed heavily and glanced at Lulu, who nodded. "Do you want me to take Telan?" she asked quietly, motioning toward her sleeping figure._

"_No, that's okay. I just want to watch the sunset." The three of us went our different ways, Lulu and Yuna to the pass that led to the village, and me to the waterline. Carefully, I sat on the wet sand, the water lapping about my legs. _

_It was warm here. I remember being thankful for that, for the sunlight, for the island's incessant calm. But now, I wasn't thankful. I longed for somewhere cold, where the water was freezing, where the rain came down without falter. Or maybe I didn't even long for the place… maybe I longed for the idea of it. I waited until the sun had fallen nearly to the horizon line, and then I stood, making my way across the beach and toward the path, guided by the long shadows of the evening._

* * *

I stared out over the ocean, relaxed for the moment in the cool breeze, the mist of the waterfalls behind me creating a light mist. I took a deep breath and simply basked in the silence, risking a glance at Telan.

She'd been crying on and off all morning, something that startled most everyone… everyone but me. "She was so quiet in Luca!" they'd protest. But I hadn't been awake but for three days in Luca, and so I really had no idea. She'd been crying on and off all week, actually. But it was normal to me, despite what the others thought. Babies cried… and I dealt with it. In my spare time during the last week, I'd made a little seat for her, something that made it easier for me to carry her around in. When she'd begun to squall once more at noon, I left the village, with Telan strapped into her little carry seat, and I'd come here. The sound of the waterfall must have lulled her to sleep. Nothing I did could have.

I leaned against the dirt wall of the cliff, my eyes closed. Quiet… I'd finally discovered that I liked it. I always was the loud one… but it felt good to just be quiet for once. An hour had passed since Telan had fallen asleep… I needed to get all the silence I could before she woke up. Slowly, hesitantly, I moved toward the edge of the rock, my legs hanging over the edge of the waterfall, lost in the current, my hair blowing about freely in the breeze.

"Your hair looks really good when it's down." I jumped at the voice and looked behind me. I barely cared that I'd almost fallen from the tallest waterfall on Besaid. I only cared that the quiet remained. But still, she slept. I glared up at the figure on the bridge.

"Be quiet, please, you have no idea how long it took me to… nevermind." I shook my head and turned back to the ocean, looking out over the water, as Tidus jumped down beside me.

"The munchkin finally went to sleep, hm?" he asked, looking into the carry seat with an affectionate glance. "She's like you… too much energy."

I groaned softly and leaned my head back against the wall. "I just wish she wouldn't cry so often, you know? But, then again, she's a baby. That's what babies do."

He frowned momentarily, before hanging his legs off the rock, watching as the water fell away to the ocean below. "You sound exhausted."

"No, I'm not exhausted," I said, a bit too quickly. He smirked, an expression not unlike Gippal's own, and I turned away, staring off in the same direction over the ocean that I had been staring at for the past hour. "I'm just… I don't know. Stupid."

"How are you stupid?"

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, a small smirk on my lips. "You must be stupid if you don't understand why _I'm_ stupid."

"Don't go and insult me!" With a small smile on his lips, he followed my gaze over the ocean. "You know… you shouldn't have come to Besaid, Rikku."

"… I had to."

"No you didn't. Maybe before you felt like you had to, but this time you came because you're stubborn. You're stubborn, and you're scared to let things change."

I shook my head, too stubborn to admit to my own… stubbornness. "I like change. I do."

"Only when you're asking for it." He pointed out over the ocean, towards Djose. "You are staying here, alone, miserable. You're making things worse for everyone around you, Rikku. Why can't you see that?" His voice was agitated, a tone that he rarely took.

"Because I don't want to see it!" I said in frustration, burying my face in my knees. He was quiet; my hair billowed around me in the breeze. I turned to him, my cheek still resting on my knees as I stared at him miserably. "But that's exactly the point you were trying to make, isn't it?"

He nodded slowly and I leaned my head on his shoulder, needing the comfort of a friend. We were quiet for a long while. Then, I sighed heavily and looked up at him questioningly. "You really think my hair looks good when it's down?" I asked, curious.

He laughed, and I grinned widely, giggling a bit myself. "Yeah, I do." Our laughter filled the little hollow beneath the bridge as we momentarily focused on my stupid question rather than on my stupidity.

But it ended when a loud cry came from the baby carry seat. I froze and stared back at Telan momentarily. With a last glance toward Djose, I turned to pick her up. Tidus caught my eyes, and I held his gaze. He broke the silent exchange and reached over to Telan, picking her up to soothe her. And as I watched him do my job, I felt sick with guilt.

* * *

I looked on as Tidus spun Yuna around by the fire that evening, dipping her to the ground. She shrieked as her hair grazed the ground, making those nearest to them laugh. It never failed to amaze me that the entire village turned out for the bonfire, night after night, as if every day were a day of celebration. It was a tradition, I knew, something that had kept hope alive during the days of Sin's wrath.

I looked toward the gates, into the darkness beyond them. I remembered the evening I'd come through that darkness and paused beyond the gates, watching the joyful dancing and communing of the islanders. I'd never admitted it, but that night, I'd felt like an outsider. In a way… I still did.

The temple stood beyond, serene in all its ancient majesty. I once believed that Besaid was a ridiculous place to put a temple. Now I understood the reason it had been placed here, the reason Besaid was the starting point of the pilgrimage road. Besaid was a place of hope, consistency, and longevity. It was calm, even on a stormy day. So very different than Kilika, the island of fire, which held the temple that could light the summoners' soul. So different than icy Macalania, a frozen tundra which was home to an aeon forbidding and yet serene, just like the landscape. It was different than the ruins at Baaj, a scorned place that sheltered the most terrifying aeon of all, and the most terrifying history. Remiem Temple, in the Calm Lands, was a calm place, unhurried, unchanged by the years. The Temple of the Stolen Fayth was hidden away, rewarding only to those who persevered, those who challenged themselves. Bevelle was grand, powerful, as had been Bahamut. Djose… placed at the point of the journey at which the going got tough, stormy and unforgiving, but beautiful in its own right.

I decided that whoever had put the temples in their places was smart… surely smarter than me. The summoner that had started their journey from Besaid was smart as well, journeying along a path that continued to drive people onward, though difficult enough to take those who weren't determined.

But even in understanding the temples, the cities, in understanding the workings of Spira, I still could not understand myself. I could decipher the wiring systems in a transportation vehicle of any sort within minutes, but I didn't understand my own emotions, my own wiring. It was frustrating.

The fire gave off a loud crack, and I felt Telan jump in fright. She began to cry, and I immediately tried to calm her. "It's okay, Telan, Mama's got you. It was just a scary noise, don't worry…"

Lulu looked over at me from across the fire when she heard Telan's cries. I was sitting alone on one of the logs. I met her gaze and shook my head, telling her that I didn't need any help. The fire cracked again, sparks flying into the air, scaring my daughter even more. I stood and hurried into Tidus' hut (which I'd been staying in since I first came to Besaid months before). I draped her over my shoulder and fingered her blonde hair, trying to calm her. Her little fist wrapped around a strand of my hair.

Five minutes had passed, and she'd barely calmed at all. Lulu and Yuna came into the hut together. I looked up at Lulu with wide eyes, the calm I'd felt while contemplating the temples gone.

"The fire scared her… I got her away from it as quick as I could, I just… she… she's scared." I didn't even notice as I began to repeat myself. "I got away from it before it could scare her too badly, I just… she'll be fine, she's just scared."

Yuna and Lulu glanced at one another momentarily, as I continued to babble. Then, Lulu came to me and plucked Telan from my arms. I stopped chattering, and stared at her as she began to walk into the main room of the hut. "I was fine, Lu, she's just scared! Give her back!"

She stopped and looked back at me, a strange emotion filling her eyes. I barely recognized it as concern. "She won't calm down unless the person holding her is calm. I had to learn that the hard way. Let me try, okay?" She didn't wait for my permission, but instead pulled the linen that acted as a door shut as she left the room.

I sat back on the bed, slightly angered, and slightly relieved. Yuna sat next to me, concern in her eyes. I looked her straight in the eyes. "Why won't anyone let me take care of my own baby? Do I look… incapable, or something?"

"No, no, you just haven't adjusted yet."

"I'll never adjust unless people allow me to start taking care of her on my own! Why the hell can't you people understand that?" I began to pace around my tiny room, watching the doorway, listening as the cries began to lessen in volume, a flare of jealousy running through me.

"We're just trying to look out for you, Rikku… you're only eighteen, you know, you're still recovering, and you're trying to do this alone. You need help, and she's been awfully fussy since we left Luca…"

"_I can do this by myself!_" I yelled, whirling to face her. She was shocked, but she recovered quickly.

"No, Rikku, you _can't_." She stood and left the room, joining Lulu in the main room.

I stood frozen as the linen rustled in the wind, listening to their indecipherable whispering. Suddenly, I felt drained, dizzy… exhausted. As I lay back on my bed, I admitted it.

I was lying to myself again, and I didn't seem to be able to stop.

* * *

_I hope you all liked this chapter! Thanks so much for reading and for all the reviews! As always, thanks to **FairyIce **for editing and contributing all kinds of brilliant ideas, for all of the advice! I appreciate it to no end! Please Review!_


	3. Surrounded By The Color Blue

_**The Echo  
**__**Chapter 3: Surrounded By The Color Blue**_

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* * *

_**

_I opened my eyes, the wind running through my hair. My arms were out at my sides, the air splitting around them as the Celsius cut through the sky, a red streak in the heavens. I stared out over the side of the ship, at the open expanse in front of me. Sky and ocean met without seam, and I leaned my head back, letting my hair fly wildly in the wind, surrounded by the color blue._

* * *

Long ago, I'd found a special place on Besaid, one I could call my own. Telan had gotten upset again that morning, and the moment Wakka had come to me to take her away, I'd turned in the opposite direction and gone there. The confined beach had been difficult to get to with a baby in arm, but I'd managed. I'd calmed down when I'd come here, and Telan had calmed down as well. Lulu had been right, and I had been wrong, yet again.

I'd set out a blanket, and I had my arm around Telan as I stared miserably out at the ocean. She was awake, but quiet, kicking her little feet spiritedly. I'd made sure to shop for her before we'd left Luca, and she was in one of the many adorable outfits I'd made my father buy her. The light yellow fabric complimented her blonde fuzz quite well, I thought.

She wrinkled her nose as the breeze blew into the little sheltered beach. I gave a small grin and kissed her forehead. I liked it when the two of us could just sit together, quiet and happy, like we'd been back at the hospital. _When Gippal was with us…_ I gave a heavy sigh and looked into her eyes, which were finally starting to go completely green. They were a mirrored reflection of my own swirls, though a shade lighter, like her father's.

"I'm really stupid, Telan. I mess things up a lot. He was there, he… wanted us to be with him, and I just made a decision and I came back. I thought I could take care of you alone. But… I can't, baby, you're a handful! And you're only three weeks old! You're just as miserable as I am, sweetie… and it's my fault, and I'm sorry. I want to fix it, but I don't know how. I've made too many mistakes to be able to fix it this time, haven't I?"

I watched her as she cooed up at me. "Yeah, I knew you'd agree with me." Closing my eyes, I listened to the waves as they broke gently upon the shore.

Our silence was broken as Yuna's voice called out from above, in the ruins. "Rikku? Are you down there?"

I sighed and propped myself up on my forearm, looking up at the hillside. "Yeah, over here!"

She emerged from behind a rock piling and slowly made her way down to where I was laying. Without pretense, she sat next to me on the blanket, staring out at the water.

"I want to apologize."

I looked over at her tentatively, searching her determined expression. "Why?"

"I shouldn't have said what I said last night." She shook her head, her brown tresses shadowing her eyes. "I'm sorry."

I looked out at the water, following her gaze. "Don't be. It's okay."

"No, it isn't."

"Yeah, it is."

"No, it isn't."

"Yuna. Shut up."

She looked over at me, her eyes wide. Then she smiled and pushed my shoulder lightly. "I'm not backing down."

"You should. You're only trying to help. I should be apologizing to you, not the other way around." With a sigh, I pulled Telan off the blanket and propped her up on my knees, grinning lightly at her mussed hair. "I want to be a good mother to her, and I keep screwing up. Tidus told me I'm too stubborn… he's right. I need to just accept the help without getting angry, or jealous, or whatnot. But I can't."

"You shouldn't have to. She's your daughter." Yuna scooted closer to me, putting an arm around my shoulder. I leaned my head on my cousin's shoulder as she wrapped me in a sisterly hug.

"But I should appreciate the effort."

She squeezed me softly and the two of us were quiet for a while as we watched a fishing boat make its way out to the harbor. "I have a feeling that you would adjust to having a newborn around much better if you were anywhere else but here."

I shrugged and looked at the sand. "I'm fine when she's calm, but when she starts to freak out, I…"

She quieted me and traced a pattern in the sand. "I understand, Rikku."

"I know you do." Telan held tightly to my finger, and I scanned the horizon, waiting for Yuna to say something.

I waited for a long while. Telan was falling into a deep infant sleep before Yuna spoke up once again. "Rikku… can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Why are you here?" She looked right at me, leaning back in the sand, her two-toned eyes unnerving me for the first time I could remember.

"Honestly?" She nodded. "I don't know, Yunie. I don't know." I looked out at the harbor, at the fishermen laughing on their tiny boat. "My heart isn't here…"

* * *

The village fire had already died, and most of Besaid's residents were sleeping. The only light that could be seen for miles, save that of the moon or stars, came from the back window of a small hut on the outskirts of the village. My window.

A good day had passed. For the first time, I'd taken care of my baby by myself, without any help from others. I was proud of myself, a good feeling after feeling like such a failure for the past week.

But, around midnight, the good day was over. Telan had woken, and she was screaming. I'd tried to give her a bottle, I'd held her while keeping myself as calm as possible. I'd done all the right things. And the fact that I couldn't take my baby's pain away was killing me. Gippal would have been able to do it. But I wasn't him. I was doing my best, and I hated that my best was not good enough.

"Telan, honey, stop… ssh… it's okay! It's okay, sweetie, it's okay!" She was shaking, gasping for breath in betweens screams. "Telan… Telan, everything is alright, Mommy's here, nothing's going to hurt you…"

I was babbling again, more to keep myself calm than to calm her down. In the back of my mind, I knew it wouldn't work.

I set her down on my bed, smoothing her hair back, watching her beautiful little face as it contorted with her screams. "What's wrong, Telly, hm, why won't you stop?"

She only continued screaming, not giving me any hint as to what could have merited these heart wrenching screams. But what could I expect from a three week old?

I couldn't keep her from screaming. I couldn't calm her when she was frightened or upset. I hated feeling helpless. I hated feeling that her screaming was driving me insane. But finally, I broke down.

"Stop crying! Just stop! I can't do this anymore, you need to stop, baby, you need to _stop this!_ I don't know what to do, I don't know what's wrong! Telan, stop… just, please, stop _crying_!" I was sobbing now, too, trying to control my outburst and failing miserably. The single candle that was lit on my dresser flickered dangerously as the linen covering my doorway was disturbed.

Tidus swiftly entered my room as I buried my head in my hands, shaking as much as my baby was. "Rikku… Rikku, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Is Telan okay?"

"She won't stop!" I cried, my voice croaking. "She… she keeps doing… I… she won't stop!"

He stared at the two of us for a moment. I sat upright in my bed, my hands in my hair, face red and puffy from crying, my eyes shining brightly with tears. Telan was still squalling on the bed, and I was staring at her blankly. He reached for the baby and cradled her, leaving the room momentarily. I heard footsteps coming swiftly toward the hut, and then I heard Yuna's concerned voice call out. "What's going on? Are they alright?"

Wakka peered into my room, his tired eyes frightened. "Ti, she ain't bleeding again or somethin', is she?"

"No, no, I… Telan won't calm down. I don't know what to do… could one of you take her to Lulu, she'll have a better idea… and I think it's best to get them away from each other right now." Tidus handed Telan to my frightened cousin as I reached for a pillow and wrapped myself around it, sobbing into the soft material.

"Yeah, we'll take her… want us to come back?" Wakka watched me for a moment before leading Yuna to the door.

"No, I'll… I'll calm her down. Could one of you call… ?"

"I'll take care of it." Yuna tugged on Wakka's arm, and the two left the household. Tidus watched them leave for a moment, and I listened as Telan's cries grew farther and farther away.

I didn't calm down any. My breathing became quicker, my chest tightening with anxiety. Tidus sat next to me on the bed and pulled my hair out of my face. "Rikku, listen to me… I need you to tell me if you are alright, okay? Rikku… take a deep breath okay, calm down."

"I… I can't." I felt sick, sick with myself, and sick to my stomach. I tried to take a deep breath, but only started coughing.

"Yes you can, Ri, you can, okay? Look… look at me. Look at me, Rikku." I looked up at him, tears streaming down my face. "You're okay, I'm here, you can calm down. You need to calm down, alright, you need to breath." I shook my head, trying to do as he said. "I need you to calm down for me, too, okay, you're scaring me."

Shakily, I took a few deep breaths, and he smiled reassuringly, brushing my hair away from my eyes. "I'm sorry… I didn't… she just…"

"Sssh, don't apologize, alright? It's fine." I began to cry softly, and I rested my head on his shoulder. He held me tightly, his presence reassuring me.

"She wouldn't stop… I don't know what to do! I… I'm trying to do this alone. I was prepared to raise her alone, damnit, why can't I handle this? Why won't she stop?"

"I don't know, Rikku."

"It's almost like I'm scared of her, Tidus, like she's some kind of flash bomb. But I understand how to handle a flash bomb! I can't figure her out! Why can't I make her feel safe? I can't… I can't keep doing this… I can't do it alone. I need help, Tidus, I need help…"

He let me cry on his shoulder for so long that I lost track of time. I didn't notice when Telan's cries stopped echoing through the village. I'd failed her again, and it was the only thing I could think about. I barely noticed when Tidus carefully tucked a blanket around us. He held me comfortingly as I cried myself to into an exhausted sleep.

* * *

Yuna came into the small hut a few hours after she'd taken Telan to Lulu. The baby had cried until she'd gone to sleep with exhaustion. Lulu had been patient, but it was obvious that she, too, had been agitated. Vidina had begun to cry as well, until Wakka had taken him out of the hut and for a walk around the temple to calm his nerves.

"Tidus?" she called, looking around the house. "Where are you?"

He called softly back. "Rikku's room."

She entered quietly. Tidus was holding Rikku as she slept, her hair mussed and her face streaked with tearstains. "Is she okay?"

"No. All the people here are just making her even more nervous than she already is. She's blaming herself for Telan freaking out." Yuna sat next to the two of them, running her hand through her cousin's hair with concern.

"I called Djose."

"Is he gonna come and pick them up?"

"He wasn't there. He left for Bikanel two days ago. Brother took him, but he isn't answering the calls, so that has to mean that he's out in Sanubia, too." Tidus frowned and watched his friend, for a moment, before looking up at Yuna.

"I'm worried about her. She's still recovering, and even with all of us trying to help her, she won't get better if she's this miserable."

Yuna sighed heavily and rested beside Tidus. "I wish she wouldn't do this to herself."

"Me too…"

* * *

When morning arrived, I sat out by the beach, a CommSphere in hand. I needed to confirm what Yuna had said, for I had made my decision. Whatever had persuaded me to leave Gippal back in Luca… I'd pushed it aside. I was miserable without him, just as I had been for months. I was making Telan miserable, too, and I couldn't handle it any longer. I needed him to hold me and keep me safe. He said he'd come running, after all. I was going to hold him to it.

"Hi… uh… could you connect me to Gippal's office, please?" I asked tiredly, rubbing my eyes.

"I'm sorry, but he isn't… Rikku? Is that you?" I blinked at the figure in the CommSphere and nodded.

"Karaa?"

She grinned and laughed. "Yeah! It's been lonely and quite boring without you here to keep our spirits up! But I guess you've got other things to keep you busy now, right?"

"Yeah, I guess I do." I grinned back at her, for politeness' sake. I was happy to talk to one of my old co-workers, after all, but right now, I was too mixed up to be too excited about it. "I'm sorry, I don't want to seem unwilling to talk or anything, but I had a really rough night last night, and I really need to talk to Gippal. Could you put me through to the office?"

"He left two days ago for Bikanel. You know how he gets when he's out in the desert."

I nodded, distractedly. "He doesn't even stop to eat when he's working out there, most of the time."

"Yeah… he's been showing off pictures of Telan to anyone who comes near him. She's adorable. I can't wait to see her!"

I smiled, albeit weakly. "I can't wait to show her off."

"Well, stop in some time. All of us want to see her, and you!" She waved into the screen, and I grinned and canceled the connection.

Needless to say, I felt blue this morning. The sky was blue, the ocean was blue… I was surrounded by the color. And I was tired of it.

The CommSphere began to blink in my hands, and I answered the call without thinking. "Hello?"

"Rikku… Yuna left messages… are you alright?" My brother looked back at me with concern as I nodded.

"I'm okay, I just need to do something… think you could come and pick me up? Like… now?"

He was quiet for a moment; then, he nodded. "I'll be there in a few hours." I was slightly shocked at how quickly he'd agreed, without any questioning.

"… thanks."

"Where do you need to go?" he asked, curious.

"Bikanel."

* * *

_So, there's chapter three. I hope you all like it! Thanks for the reviews on chapter two, and for all the feedback! Another thank you to **FairyIce** for being a wonderful beta and idea contributor, and for soothing all my plot worries, LOL. Have a safe holiday, everyone!_

_Please Review!_


	4. Sand

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 4: Sand_**

* * *

_I watched as she hopped off one of the hovers that were returning from the Northern Expanse, distracting me from my reports. She had a bag slung over her shoulder, and was scowling. She had a piece of rough cloth wrapped around her forearm. I frowned with concern when I saw that part of the cloth was bright red and wet looking under the sun. She made her way slowly to the piles where we separated the parts that had been found on the digs and pulled open her bag, pulling parts out and analyzing them critically, blowing her bangs out of her eyes moodily._

"_Gippal? You okay?" Nhadala pulled her goggles down and stared at me for a few minutes. _

"_Do workers often come back from the field bleeding?" I asked, grinning cheekily. "That could cost me a lot of money, you know…"_

_She followed my gaze and looked toward where Rikku was tossing parts around. "No… but then again, Rikku's a bit more adventurous than your typical digger, isn't she?"_

_I nodded. "Yeah, she is. I'll finish all the paperwork up later, okay? I need to get started on interviewing the candidates for transfer." Nhadala nodded and turned swiftly, yelling at the hover operators. I walked over to where Rikku was standing, my hands in my pockets. _

"_You're hurt." She glanced over at me with a sigh._

"_I know… it's not a big deal, I'll take care of it once I'm finished getting everything done…" She turned back to the piles and tossed some more parts into a pile. _

"_C'mere, Cid's girl. You can do this later." I grabbed her hand and pulled her off toward the medical tent, not allowing her to protest. "What got you?"_

"_One of those annoying little wolf things… I didn't even see it coming! I kicked its ass, of course, but… it got the first strike." She sighed and winced as she pulled at the makeshift bandage, before looking up at me confusedly. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to be on the island today?"_

_I shrugged with a grin, holding the flap of the medical tent open for her. She went in and sat in one of the fold-out chairs, poking at her wound as I fished around for a first aid kit. "Didn't wanna."_

_I sat next to her, opening the lid of the little box that held basic medical supplies. I carefully untied the cloth and pulled it away from her sticky wound, whistling. She sighed heavily. "I can take care of it, Gippal, don't worry about it."_

_I shook my head and soaked a cloth with a cleansing solution. "Just… just let me take care of you for a minute, okay?" She rolled her eyes at me and held out her arm. "Sit still," I warned, before pressing the cloth into the wound. She whimpered, but she'd been healed enough in all her travels to know what not to do. Once the initial sting was over, I began to clean it more thoroughly. She didn't seem surprised at my gentle touch; then again, she looked too distracted to notice. _

"_Hey, can I ask you a question?" I asked quietly, rubbing ointment gently into the wound. _

"_You just did." She smirked quietly, staring at the opposite wall._

"_Shush. I'm serious." She sighed and nodded, grimacing slightly from the ointment's fresh sting. "Why didn't you send in a transfer application to Djose?"_

"_Because, I haven't been here that long. Why would you transfer me to Djose so quickly?" She glanced at me, looking subdued. _

"_First, because you are one of the best mechanics I've ever known. Second, I know you want a pay raise." She grinned at me as I placed a bandage over the bite mark, careful not to touch the broken skin. "And third… because I want to be able to see you whenever I want." I grinned at her and she grinned back. _

"… _I guess those are good reasons." The two of us stood, and I took her hand, pulling her to me. She closed her eyes willingly, all of her moodiness gone. I smiled as our lips met, and kissed her sweetly before giving her a warm hug. _

"_Of course they are. And that's why I'm taking you back to Djose when I leave, whether you want to go or not!"_

_She laughed and hugged me back. "You know I want to go, Gippal…"_

"_Of course you do!"_

* * *

I shook my head, and averted my gaze from the medical tent that it had come to rest on. After a full day of sorting through the workers to find those who deserved to be moved up in the ranks, or those who deserved a pay raise, or those who needed to join my team in Djose, and even for those who needed to be fired, I was exhausted. Nhadala hadn't been any help; sandstorms had been rolling through Bikanel for the past few days, and power to key dig sites around the island was continually failing. Nhadala was running around like a crazy chocobo trying to keep things on schedule.

"Gippal, sir… Nhadala is on the CommSphere, she says she needs you at the Southern Expanse base camp. All her mechanics were injured during the sandstorm this morning, and she can't handle the power outages alone with a bunch of novices." I sighed heavily and waved the worker off with a nod.

I sighed heavily. _I want to go home…_ I was miserable here. But then again, I was miserable and lonely back in Djose, too. As I started one of the personal hovers and strapped myself in, I glanced back at the medical tent, trying not to remember how simple things had once been, and how complicated they were now.

* * *

I leaned back in my old chair, relaxing as Brother steered us toward Bikanel. The sun was shining down inside the bridge, and I felt as if it were the old times, when Brother, Buddy, Shinra, and I had been the only people on the Celsius, wandering Spira as the newly formed group called the Gullwings. The only thing that was new was the fact that it was just Brother and I now… and Telan, of course.

It was strange to listen to the quiet calm that had settled over the bridge. The hum of the engines was lulling me to sleep, slowly but surely. Brother continually glanced at me, a strangely protective look on his face.

"Isn't it lonely without all of us onboard?" I asked him, quietly, staring out at the endless sky in front of us.

He shrugged and pressed a few buttons, putting the ship on autopilot. "I suppose. Most of the time I have a few odd crew members around, but… I dropped them off before I came to get you."

"Oh…" I took a deep breath, looking curiously up at him. "Why?"

"I thought you could use the quiet." He made his way out of the pilot seat and sat on the floor next to me, watching the clouds zip past.

I smiled and sat up slightly, gently cradling Telan as I did so. "Dryhg oui, Brother."

He held out his hands and nodded to Telan. "May I hold her?" he asked, hesitant.

I blinked at him, surprised, before handing her to him. "Of course you can."

It was strange to see my brother holding a baby, especially since she was mine. I'd always thought that he'd beat me to becoming a parent. He was gentle with her, and he smiled as she sleepily wrapped her hand around his index finger. "She's still so little," he sighed, glancing up at me.

I nodded. "Yeah… was she… was she _really_ quiet back in Luca? While I was still in the coma?"

He nodded. "I thought she was. I haven't been around babies much, but everyone else said she was the quietest newborn they'd ever seen. With you and Gippal as her parents… I was expecting her to be loud."

I grinned and sighed softly. "She's loud when she wants to be." Brother's eyes were questioning as I met them. "She won't stop crying for me, Brother, and it's driving me insane."

"Noise has never bothered you before."

I stared out the window at the sky. "It's not the noise. It's the guilt and the feelings of failure I get when I can't make her feel better. I'm her mother, I'm supposed to be able to make her feel better. But… sometimes it feels like she just doesn't want me."

"Of course she wants you, Rikku…" My brother reached over and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. I took a deep breath.

"Sometimes, yeah. But other times, she wants Gippal… and it's my fault he isn't there."

"Rikku, she's an infant, you can't possibly know what she wants."

I poked a few buttons on the little navigation screen in front of me before looking over at the two of them. "I'm her mother. That's my job."

He sighed heavily and stood, gently taking Telan with him back to the pilot's seat. "It sounds like an impossible job to me."

Leaning back in my chair, I sighed heavily and closed my eyes. "Yeah, me too…" I whispered.

* * *

Once the Celsius landed outside of the main camp in Bikanel, I stepped off the ramp and into the comforting sands of home. Nothing had changed, really, except that the dunes nearby had shifted. Brother had offered to watch Telan while I went to search for Gippal, and I'd taken him up on it. For a moment, I simply stood and breathed in the hot desert air, letting the sun beat down upon me. Then, I gathered my courage and I began to walk towards Nhadala's tent. I was sure that Gippal was out doing inspections, and Nhadala would know exactly where I needed to go.

Hesitantly, I walked inside, glancing around. Nhadala was nowhere to be seen; instead, a blond man sat in the chair behind her desk. "Can I help you, miss?"

I tentatively sat in the chair in front of the desk. "Is Nhadala in the camp?"

He shook his head and pointed to the map. "She was called down to the Southern Expanse yesterday, actually. They're having a big problem with sandstorms right now." He looked at me a bit more carefully. "Rikku, isn't it?"

I nodded absently. "You wouldn't happen to know where the Machine Faction leader is at the moment, would you? I'm here to see him… I just thought Nhadala might be able to help me locate him."

He grimaced and shrugged. "He got called down there this morning to help Nhadala fix everything up. All the journeyman mechanics out there were caught in the storm this morning, and Nhadala was having some problems that the novices couldn't help her with."

I sighed heavily and stood. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He began to shift through some papers on the desk as I left the tent.

Brother stood on the ramp of the Celsius as I walked back to it. "Vydran called. He'll be here in a while, apparently he and Buddy are on the way back from the Eastern Expanse. He wants to see you and Telan."

I shook my head. "I don't know if the two of us will still be here. Gippal is in the Southern Expanse."

He sighed and pointed across the camp; a man stood near the hovers, talking to a group of diggers. "Go and talk to him. Try and get a transport to the Southern Expanse."

"Okay… can't you take us there?" I looked at him questioningly.

"No, the sandstorms are already bad enough. They don't want any airships going overhead to make it worse." I groaned and walked toward the man. It was strange to be back here, in the desert. Everyone I'd known while I worked here seemed to be gone.

As the group of diggers walked away dejectedly, I approached the hover-man. "Hi, um, I need to get to the Southern Expanse."

He shook his head gruffly, reaching for a clipboard. "Sorry, lady, no can do."

"…excuse me?"

"No."

I took a deep breath, counting slowly to ten before I spoke to him again. "I used to work here, you know, I was a digging supervisor. I was also a journeyman mechanic out at Djose, and… I happen to be Cid's daughter. So you might as well just let me through. I'm not just some digger, trying to get through to the site that actually pays off."

The man glanced down at me impatiently. "Yeah, I know who you are. And I also know that if I let you take a transport out in the middle of a level 4 sandstorm, Nhadala would have my head. All traffic toward the Southern Expanse is being held at this point in time. Once the storm dies down, I'll be more than happy to let you through, but for now… _no_."

He walked away from me, and I stomped my foot angrily, something I hadn't done for quite awhile. "Fine… be that way… idiot."

I stormed back onto the Celsius and into the bridge. Brother looked back at me with an amused look on his face. "Trying to break through the floor?"

"No… well… not on purpose." I slumped and sat in Shinra's old chair. "So much for that plan."

"You'll get to him sooner or later. Just be patient. Hang out on the Celsius tonight, it'll be fun."

I sighed and looked over at him, pouting slightly. "Just like old times?"

He grinned and laughed. "Yes, sister, just like old times."

* * *

I grinned as I sipped from one of the glasses of… something… that Barkeep had set in front of me. My father had asked Buddy to watch Telan for a few hours. Then he'd asked Barkeep for a shot.

The three of us, Cid, Brother, and I, sat around one of the little tables in the cabin of the Celsius. Cid slammed his hand down on the table, laughing heartily as Brother told us a joke he'd heard from a man in Guadosalam. It was a stupid joke… but at that moment, it was hilarious.

"Rikku, what's that you're drinking?" my father asked, peering closely at my shot glass. I held it up to my lips and winked, shrugging, a funny grin on my face.

"Ask the blue dude…" I said, pointing over at the bar. "It's good stuff, whatever it is."

Brother grabbed the shot from my hands and took a little sip. I pointed and laughed as his face screwed up. "Sour…" he whispered, grimacing as he set the glass down.

I couldn't help but think about those nights when all of us (except Shinra) would come down to the bar and have a great time together. Yuna and I would take turns making ourselves look like fools on the little wooden stage in the corner… Brother would get so drunk that he'd stand up and pretend to be a back-up dancer. Picking up one of the other glasses in front of me, I looked over at him and snorted down into my drink.

"What?" he asked, laughing at me. I just giggled hopelessly into the glass, slumped forward on the table.

"You look ridiculous… you're falling off your chair…" He looked down and slipped off a little further, and I slapped my hands on the tabletop, laughing loudly.

"Well, you're no better! Rikku… you're drunk!"

"I know!" I cried loudly, laughing even harder.

Cid, who apparently had taken my suggestion and gone to 'ask the blue dude' about the drink, came back with a bottle of vodka and more clean shot glasses, and set them down in the middle of the table. "Nothing like liquor to take your mind off your troubles…"

Once he'd handed over the little shot glasses, full to the brim with the finest vodka money could buy, he lifted his own. "Cheers!" The first little shot was fun. The fourth was even more fun.

By the end of the night, the whole of the airship rang with our drunken laughter… it was the first time I'd felt 'just like old times' in a long, long while.

* * *

The next afternoon, the sandstorm (and my headache) had finally cleared. I'd taken Telan and found a suitable transport vehicle, and by sundown, we made it to the Southern Expanse.

Carefully, I plucked my daughter from her carry seat in the back of the enclosed transport. Looking around at the campsite, I knew the man had been right not to let us through the night before… the place was trashed. I was worried.

Nhadala stood just ahead, talking to a group of novice mechanics. I recognized a few and grinned before approaching her.

"Nhadala!"

She turned and smiled widely. "Rikku? What are you doing here? And with the baby, no less?"

"I'm looking for her father, actually…" I sighed, holding my child tightly, looking around the camp. "They told me he was here…"

She frowned. "You… you just missed him, actually. He took a transport to the dock not two hours ago. He should be on board the ship already, and it'll dock at the Moonflow by midnight, if all goes well."

I stared at her for a moment, not believing my ears. "Why… why did he leave?"

"He said he wanted to go home." She shrugged, her face apologetic. I nodded my thanks and walked back to my transport, cuddling Telan close.

"Looks like we're going to have to chase Daddy a little longer, sweetie…"

* * *

_Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Thanks to **FairyIce** for beta! _

_Please Review!_


	5. Stop The Rain

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 5: Stop The Rain_**

* * *

I stared at the wall that was across the room from my spot on the couch. Two months had passed since I'd first moved into my small house, and still, nothing adorned the walls. It was pathetic. I was pathetic.

I was glad to be back, despite the fact that I was still miserable. I'd lacked the motivation to do anything helpful in Bikanel. In the afternoon that I'd been home, I hadn't done anything productive in my office. I hadn't even looked through my messages.

I sighed heavily, and pushed myself off the couch. Walking through the dark entryway, I made my way toward the kitchen.

Thunder rolled, shaking the foundation slightly. I was used to it. As I pushed open the kitchen door, lightning lit up the room. I fumbled around for the light switch, blinking as the bright overhead lights creating spots over my vision. I looked out the window toward the temple road before moving to the cabinets.

"Damnit…" I whispered, disgusted with myself. I hadn't restocked my cabinets since before I'd left for Luca… I had nothing. Empty cabinets. Empty house. Empty heart.

I looked back toward the mostly empty counter and shook my head. I took a bottle of rum from my liquor cabinet and poured myself a glass, angry with myself for allowing myself to wallow in self pity. Thunder rolled once more, and I held my glass to the sky. "Cheers."

* * *

"Where are you taking me?" I said, rather loud to make my voice heard over the wind and rain.

Brother pointed as we came around the back end of the temple. I squinted through the silver curtain of water that was falling from above, grinning. "So… they finally got around to putting in living quarters for the workers?"

He nodded as he jogged through the rain toward the building. I followed more slowly with Telan, making sure she was covered up before gallivanting through the rain. I didn't really care if I got wet. I was just happy to be here, to be closer to him. I felt a bit better just thinking about it.

Brother opened the door to one of the small apartments on the first floor of the building and ushered me in. My hair was dripping, but I was more concerned about getting Telan comfortable and warm than I was about myself. "Where can I set up her crib?" I asked, looking down the small hallway.

"Oh, yeah… uh… in here." He pushed open a door halfway down the hall, and pointed inside. "It's the guestroom. I'd let you have my room, but I never clean it."

I grinned and thanked him as he dropped my bags inside on the floor. I took a moment to set up the collapsible crib and put down soft, warm blankets, and then, with an anxious look out the window, I pulled a pair of warm pajamas out of the travel bag to change her into.

She whined as I changed her tiny diaper, but I didn't mind it. I was too happy to be back in Djose to mind. "Oh, shush… you get to wear the cute footie pajama's. You should at least be happy about that! I wish _I _could wear the cute footie pajama's." I carefully swaddled her in a blanket and exited the tiny room, bottle and formula in hand.

I located the small kitchen without much trouble, and set about heating up the bottle without much thought. Outside the small kitchen window, I could see lights shining from little houses across the large clearing, blurred by the rain.

Brother walked into the kitchen and took his niece from me, bouncing her lightly as I waited by the stove for the milk to warm. "Why don't you have a house?" I asked, glancing up at him with a grin. "Not like you need one, it just being you and all, but…"

"I'm not in charge of anything. Only the more important faction leaders get houses." He shrugged with a grin. "I like it here. It's small, I don't need anything bigger."

I nodded. "I'd like it here, too." A question emerged in my mind. "Gippal still lives in the temple, doesn't he? Or…"

"He's got his own place." Brother pointed out to the window towards the house that was most secluded, near the back of the clearing. "It's a small house, but it's bigger than the apartments, and much bigger than the old cloister room he lived in." I frowned and looked at Telan as she continuously yawned.

"When she goes to sleep, could you stay with her for a little while? I need to see him tonight, I need to talk to him."

He nodded and passed the baby back to me. "Of course. Go feed her… let me know when you leave, alright?" With a grin, I pulled the warm bottle from the pot on the stove and turned off the burner, before walking slowly back down the hall to the guestroom.

Telan yawned and I smiled at her; it was much easier to take care of her without any stress, without anyone constantly hovering over my shoulder. I climbed onto the bed and propped myself up against the wall, adjusting her in my arms before offering her the bottle. She began to drink noisily, and I shook my head with a smile. Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back against the wall and listened.

I hadn't felt so at home since I'd left. I was a child of the desert, daughter of the sands, but I'd learned to love the thunder, the crash of the ocean against the cliffs, the sound of rain pounding hard on the roof. Each storm was always worth the trouble, for the calm that followed was even more beautiful and appreciated. I loved this place, not just because of the memories it held, but for its presence. I took a deep breath and peeked down at Telan's little pink face, her bright eyes.

It took her longer than usual to finish her bottle. She was sleepy from all the traveling on the loud airship, and the after dinner fuss that I'd come to take for granted was almost nonexistent. I waited patiently for her to drift off, curled up with her. Once she was asleep, I gently placed her in the little crib and put on my coat, closing the door most of the way behind me.

"You think he'll be awake?" I called out as I walked into the living room, looking around for Brother. He peeked out of the kitchen at me and shrugged.

"I doubt he'll mind if you wake him up, if he isn't." He stood and followed me to the door. "Take your time. Don't rush back."

I rolled my eyes at him and set out into the rain, not caring that my now slightly damp hair would be soaking wet again in a few minutes. As I set off in the direction of the house that Brother had pointed out, there was a familiar bounce in my step, one I hadn't felt in a long time. One I hadn't felt since I'd left. I hadn't even seen Gippal yet, and I was already starting to feel like myself again. It was almost too good to be true.

The raindrops began to thicken as I walked across the hard gravel of the clearing. Thunder caught me by surprise, and I jumped, laughing at myself.

As I approached the house, I looked at it carefully. There weren't many lights on, save for what looked like the kitchen. The little grey stone cottage was right at home among the stone of the cliffs of Djose. A small fence blocked the house off from the rest of the clearing. I hesitated as I reached the gate, before taking a deep breath and unlocking it.

I walked up the small cobblestone pathway slowly. With a glance over my shoulder at the temple, I knocked very softly on the door, and waited.

No one answered. _He's sleeping… figures._ With an eye roll, I pushed the door open and walked inside.

* * *

Her lips pressed eagerly onto mine, and I responded warmly. My eyes closed, I let my hands wander lazily up her back, as her own were behind my neck. She pressed against me, pushing me back into the couch, and I groaned softly into the kiss. My mind was already muddled from the amount of alcohol I'd taken in that evening… this was only making it worse.

I let my hands rest on her thighs, pulling her closer as she began to nip at my neck. I heard a soft knocking sound, but I paid it no attention. It was probably just the couch. She moaned in my ear before catching my lips again, and once more, I responded without thought.

I caressed her thighs softly, making her grin against my lips. My breath was heavy from all the kissing, as was hers. We didn't let that stop us as we pressed against each other, moaning softly. Suddenly, she took a sharp intake of breath, and I pulled away, staring at her. But she was staring at the entryway, at the familiar figure that stood there with her hands over her mouth, confusion in her eyes.

"Rikku?" I asked, utterly confused. I looked at the woman that still leaned on my chest, and panic overtook me. Adena was there… not Rikku. But Rikku was… here? Was I dreaming, hallucinating in my drunken stupor? No… no, I wasn't dreaming, but I was stupid. Utterly stupid. I pushed Adena back, struggling to stand under her weight. "Rikku, it's not what you think!" I said stupidly, falling back onto the couch as I did so. She turned and ran from the entryway, into the dark and rainy night.

Adena stood and stared after her, fixing her skirt. I too stood, frustrated, and zipped up my pants before taking a few long strides across the room toward the doorway. "Where are you going?" she asked, watching me critically.

"Where do you think I'm going? Why the hell are you even here? Why were we just doing… what we were doing?" I was angry now, lost in confusion. When did Adena show up? Why had I consented to this nonsense… or had I started it?

She didn't move, but instead stared at me in disbelief. I pointed at the door angrily. "Out. Get out of my house." She stayed put. "**_Now_**!"

With a disgusted sigh, she left the house, making her way towards one of the apartments across the clearing. I stood in the doorway for a moment, watching the two blonde figures cross the clearing, walking in opposite directions, neither paying any attention to the other. And then, I ran after Rikku.

* * *

_Okay, I'm sorry for how long this chapter took. This and chapter 6 were originally one, but it was giving me so many problems that I took my beta's advice and split it down the middle... And then it was a real bitch to write, to be honest, cuz you know me. I think Gippal's amazing, and he can't do anything bad. But alas! He did. So… stick with it. Keep reading… don't get mad at me, please!_

_Please Review! Try not to leave a one liner/letterer. I love it when you guys leave advice!_


	6. Emotion

_**The Echo  
**__**Chapter 6: Emotion**_

* * *

The rain was pouring down, now, more so than it had been all evening. I didn't care. "Rikku!" I called, running after her, occasionally tripping in the gravel. She didn't stop, but only kept walking toward the apartment building. "Rikku, stop, listen to me!" I stopped running a few paces behind her, staring at her beautiful plait of golden blonde, dark from the rainfall.

She turned to look at me. Her eyes were hurt and sad. "Why should I?"

"Because, it wasn't what it looked like!" I took a few steps toward her, but she stepped away, keeping the distance.

Anger took over and she pointed toward the apartment that Adena had just vanished inside. "You were having sex with my _friend_, Gippal! How is that _not_ what it looked like? I saw it with my own eyes!" Her voice echoed off the stone walls of the large area behind the temple, and lightning lit the sky, making her look both dangerous and fragile in the cold blue light.

I stepped closer to her once more and reached for her arm. She pulled away quickly and glared at me. "Don't touch me."

"Rikku… I didn't-"

"Yeah, I know, I know! You didn't know I'd be here, otherwise you would've told her not to come, right?" She turned away angrily and strode toward Brother's door. "Just… stay away from me."

She opened the door and walked inside. Before she closed the door, I pushed against it, refusing to let her get away from me again. I needed to explain, even though I truly didn't understand what had happened myself. "Rikku, just… just listen to me for a minute, okay? I didn't mean for this to happen, I don't even know why she was in my house!"

"Sure you don't… I said to stay away, damnit." Brother appeared in the hall and looked at me with confusion. Tears were beginning to leak from Rikku's eyes now, as she struggled to close the door.

"What happened?" he asked, looking back and forth between the two of us. "Why are you crying?"

She shook her head and stopped struggling with the door. I stumbled forward as she let go of it, failing miserably in my attempt not to slam into the wall. She ignored me as she looked at her Brother, shaking her head. "Just… just leave, okay? I can't deal with either of you right now." He glanced at me before nodding and pulling on his coat. I didn't move.

"Call the airship if you need me, Rikku." He left the room with a worried glance at her, and the two of us stared at each other for a split second before her hand shot up. I felt the sting before registering that she'd just slapped me.

"How could you?" She asked, her green eyes angrier than I'd ever seen them. I was still confused, but my head was beginning to clear. I met her eyes, an expression of shock on my face, and she whispered three words that tore me to pieces, despite how much I deserved them. "I hate you."

The one thing that scared me more than being alone was being hated, especially by Rikku. But I'd messed up, and I deserved it. The sheer idiocy of my actions, the reality of what I'd done, hit me like a ton of bricks. My heart froze in icy fear. I needed to explain, to do something, anything, that would take the hate away. Even if she couldn't love me… she couldn't hate me, either. I couldn't go on if she hated me.

"Rikku, I wasn't thinking." She looked at me, shaking her head in disbelief. "It was a mistake, I-" I stopped, unsure of what to say. There _was_ nothing to say. There was no explaining what I'd done… but there was reason behind her glaring, her sudden, ice cold hatred. My heart was beating quickly in my chest as I slammed my hand into the wall in frustration.

"Obviously." She laughed bitterly and pointed at the door. "Get out."

"No, I'm not leaving until you let me explain." _Until I can convince you not to hate me…_

Tears streamed down her cheeks. She weakly pushed me back toward the door. "I don't want your explanations. _Get out_!" I only stood there stubbornly, ignoring her yelled order, and she looked at the ground in silence.

A faint cry came from down the hall, and both of us looked toward a slightly open doorway. She glared at me before striding off down the hall, muttering under her breath in Al Bhed. I shut the front door at long last and rushed after her.

* * *

Tears were beginning to fall steadily from my eyes as I crossed the small guestroom to Telan. I felt horrible for yelling, for waking her up, for ruining the happy mood she'd gone to sleep in. I was hurt, screaming inside from the wound he'd inflicted upon my heart. The calm attitude of the evening was shattered, my heart broken.

"Mama's here, sweetie, it's okay…" I said weakly, reaching down for her. Her cries only got louder when I picked her up. I felt the familiar dread boiling beneath the surface… but this time, it was much worse than it had ever been before. I had to be able to calm her on my own… I wouldn't let him see otherwise. I wouldn't let myself need him any longer.

Gippal stood in the doorway, but I paid him no attention as I walked her around the room, trying to calm her. "Come on, Telan, stop crying… we've been doing so good, sweetie…" My breath caught in my throat, and I began to sob right along with her. I refused to look in Gippal's direction. "Leave us alone."

"Rikku-" he began, stepping toward me once more. There was a certain amount of anguish in his eye, but I didn't care. Not after what I'd seen.

"Leave us alone, Gippal! How many times do I have to tell you to get out before you get the message, huh?" I turned in the opposite direction, away from him, and I sat on the bed with Telan, placing her atop the warm quilt. "Stop crying, Telly, please stop… it's okay, it was just noise, sweetheart…"

She didn't stop. I didn't stop. I buried my face in my hands and shook my head, trying to drive off all of the emotions that were running through me. "Stop, Telan, stop crying…" I wasn't really talking to her anymore, however; I was trying to stop my own tears. I didn't want him to see them. He didn't deserve to see them. "Just stop…"

Gippal stopped holding himself back and stood behind me, leaning forward to pluck the baby from the bed. He held her tightly, running his hand reassuringly over her spine as he walked her across the room. I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths to try to calm my own nerves. Long moments passed, filled only with the sound of her squalling, before I felt his light touch on my shoulder. His hand was shaking, and I shrunk away. "Don't, Gippal."

"I'm sorry." The emotion in his voice, the regret and fear, told me that he meant it. But I was much too hurt and angry to care.

"Shut up."

"Just _listen _to me for a minute!" he said, frustrated. That angered me even more. He had no right to be frustrated, not after what he'd done.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me what to do! You… you expect me to listen to you after what you've done?" He blinked at me blankly, and I shook my head, pointing once more at the door. "You're insane. Give me my baby and get out."

"She's my baby, too. I'm not going to just give her to you and leave, you already took her away from me once." He looked slightly shocked at hearing himself speak those words.

"This has nothing to do with what I did, you asshole! You were having sex with someone else! You did _me_ wrong! Don't even try to deny it, I caught you! She was my friend once, and you knew that, and you did it anyway! You lied to me! You said you loved me, and then you go and pull something like this! You're sick!"

"I _do_ lo-"

"No! Stop talking! Don't even say it, you don't mean it! What were you trying to do, get her pregnant, too? Find someone else to replace me, knock her up, and have a new baby to replace the one I 'stole' from you? Is that what you were trying to do!" I didn't even realize that I was shrieking at the top of my lungs. He hastily put the baby in her crib, and began to open his mouth once more. I grabbed the vase on the nightstand and hurled it at him, missing him only by inches. The glass shattered against the wall.

He stared at the remnants of the vase in shock, and then turned his gaze upon me. "What the _hell_ are you trying to do? Kill me?" His voice was raised, as well. Both of us were ignoring the baby for the moment.

"You'd _deserve_ it!" I made to pick something else up, anything, but he caught my arms and pinned them down at my sides.

"I would _never _try to replace you or Telan. There _is_ no replacing you or Telan, don't you get that?" He held me there, angry as well. I stopped fighting when it became clear that he wasn't going to let me go. Telan's frightened voice was beginning to distract us both. Finally, he let me go, and I rushed to her crib, fuming all the way.

"Rikku… calm down, okay? I understand why you're angry, and you have every right to be… but… I'm sorry, and I mean that." I looked up at him angrily and reached for Telan. Neither she nor I could stop crying… like mother, like daughter.

He only sat next to me as I tried in vain to calm her, as I tried in vain to ignore his presence. "I don't care if you're sorry. That doesn't fix it, that doesn't erase it." I glanced at him, noticing his eye patch. Strangely enough, the fact that it was on brought me some comfort. I was still the only girl who could look into both his eyes, at least. "Take that stupid thing off."

He did, and I looked away, bouncing Telan softly. "I know it doesn't fix it, okay, just let me try..."

I shook my head stubbornly. "I can't deal with this right now. Just go home."

"I don't want to go home, I want to calm the two of you down." He watched me sadly, and I broke down again. I tried to fight him as his arms wrapped around me, but I wasn't strong enough to break his hold.

* * *

I held her tightly, though she was resisting. I had to make her understand that she was the only girl I loved. I had to hold onto her. What she'd seen had been a mistake. Her warm tears spilled onto my shoulder as she dug her fingers into my flesh, bruising me with her effort to get away, and guilty tears sprang to my eyes as well. I looked down at her, at Telan, and closed my eyes. _How could I have been so stupid_?

Rikku continued to cry long after Telan had gone back to sleep, long after Rikku herself had stopped trying to fight me. I carefully placed the baby in the little portable crib that was set up, kissing her forehead softly before covering her up. I'd missed her.

Rikku was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed, fists clenched. I sat next to her once more, and she rested her head on her knees in defeat. "Why?"

"… I was drinking tonight. I don't know why she was there, all I know is that I made a mistake, and that I'm sorry." I placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. Her muscles were tight. A pang of guilt stabbed at my heart as a solitary tear left her eyes, as she pressed her eyelids together tightly to suppress the tears that waited. She pulled away from me quickly, as if my very touch stung her.

"You said you'd come running," she whispered quietly. Her bright eyes were washed out when she opened them, staring at me. "You said you were just a call away, and I called, and I needed you. But you were in Bikanel. So I went there. I couldn't get to you because the sandstorm was coming, but when I finally got through… you were on a boat, coming back here." She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, and I stared at her in confusion. "And then I got here, and I found you with her… I feel like I've been torn apart, Gippal."

The guilt worsened tenfold. _I never even checked my messages…_

I was silent, and she took a deep breath. "I thought I could handle her alone, but I can't. I feel like a failure. Since we left Luca, the little things j-just set her off, and then she w-won't stop. Not for me. For Lulu, sometimes, but not for me. She always stopped f-for you." She was beginning to stammer, and she was gasping for air between sobs and words.

"Rikku, you're not a-" I started, but she cut me off.

"And I realized that I was miserable, and I n-needed to come back… to y-you, to Djose… so I did. And now l-look at us." She shook her head miserably and stared out the tiny window. "I s-should have stayed i-in Besaid." She turned and buried her tear-stained face in her hands. Her entire body was tense, and I felt utterly horrible. Her anger was still there, underneath the surface, but the pain that she felt because of my actions was beginning to take over.

"No… no, Rikki, I shouldn't have been such an idiot…" We remained like that for a long time, tears running down both our cheeks, still from fear and hurt.

When she looked up, I gently wiped her tears away. I hated causing her pain. Anger boiled inside me, but it wasn't aimed at anyone but myself. And maybe Adena, too. But mostly at myself. She pushed my hands away and wiped at her own face with her sleeve.

Rikku sat back on the bed and looked over at the crib. "I can't… I need to take a break from this. I need time to think." I stared at her for a moment. "Alone."

"What do you mean?" I understood, though. She'd come to me for help, for comfort, and instead, I'd destroyed her trust. Her constant tension made the baby tense as well, and it was only creating a sense of failure in her mind. I wanted to erase the incident with Adena, and have Rikku and Telan here to stay. But she needed time. And I needed to let her take it.

For the first time that evening, she met my eyes without anger… but the pleading in them was worse. I nodded softly, though I didn't want to. "I'll watch her. But Rikku… you're not a failure. Trust me."

She stared me straight in the eyes, and with all the honesty she possessed, told me, "I can't."

We sat together in tense silence, watching our daughter sleep, both awaiting and dreading the morning.

* * *

_Hope you all liked it… hope you aren't all mad at me. Stick with it. Things will get better, I promise. Thank you SO MUCH to **FairyIce** for the crazy rewrites of this chapter, for reading it a million times and helping me go through and fix each section, piece by piece. I owe you bigtime._

_Please Review! (And please, try and leave something that will help me to improve or know what you liked or didn't like… the little one liners and one letterers are nice, but it would be great if there was a little more for me to work from!)_


	7. No Peace Of Mind

_**The Echo  
**__**Chapter 7: No Peace Of Mind**_

**_

* * *

_**

I awoke the next morning to find myself in a strange room, propped up against the wall with my head resting on my knees. I blinked groggily and looked around, my head beginning to pound from the light that came through the window. And then I remembered that I had screwed up. Rikku was nowhere in sight. I slowly pushed myself off the bed and stood up, grimacing as my head pounded.

I looked into the crib, uncertain. But there she was, sleeping like an angel. I sighed with relief. If she was here, then Rikku was here. Rikku would never leave her with me. I decided to let her sleep, and hesitantly turned to the doorway.

The door was open, and I walked down the hallway toward the main room. Brother was sitting on the couch when I rounded the corner, and he glared at me, a glare reminiscent of those he'd given me before the hospital. I averted my gaze and leaned against the doorjamb, still clutching my head. "What do you want?" he asked, sounding a bit harsh.

"Where's Rikku?"

He shook his head and turned to me in disbelief. "Not here."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Did she go for a walk?"

"No. She took the first hover to the Moonflow this morning." Brother stared out the window. A bright, sunny day had dawned in Djose. Normally it would be welcome, but now… it was contradicting.

"But Telan is here."

"I know. I wouldn't have left my daughter with someone like you, but… that's her choice." Brother stood and glared at me again before striding into the kitchen, closing the door behind him.

I stood there for a long time, staring at the floor.

* * *

"_You said you'd come running. You said you were just a call away, and I called, and I needed you…"_

* * *

I hesitated when I reached my front door. Did I really want to go back to this lonely little house?

But Telan began to cry, and so I opened the door, blinking thankfully in the sudden lack of light. "Come on, angel… let's get settled, okay?"

I'd found her little diaper bag, and another bag filled with clothing, blankets, formula… everything… in the closet of Brother's guestroom. And that was all I'd found. Rikku's things were gone. Just like Rikku.

I glanced at the couch, tempted to just flop down upon it and not get up for the rest of the day. Then I walked past it toward the hallway, giving it a wide berth. Telan was beginning to increase in volume, which didn't help my head any. _Since when does she cry like this?_

The door to my bedroom was slightly open, and I kicked it open moodily, dropping Telan's bags on the floor. I gently placed her, in her tiny carry seat, in the middle of my bed, and I quickly went out into the yard to grab the portable crib.

I sat on the floor in my room, trying to figure out how to put it back together. It was a slow process. Telan was crying. My head was pounding. I was angry.

She'd gone and left again. This was the third time. The third time she'd disappeared on me in only one year. People always say that the third time is the charm… I hoped so. Maybe this time she would stay gone, leave me to my misery without instilling a false sense of hope in my heart. Maybe this time she would come back, and never leave again.

And as I popped the pieces of the crib back in place, a solitary angered tear streamed down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly.

* * *

"… _I feel like I've been torn apart…"_

* * *

I stared out the window, Telan in my lap. A stack of papers sat next to me, waiting to be read. I didn't care. My angel was still upset. I'd tried everything that had worked to calm her while in Luca. Nothing.

Rikku had come to find me for a reason. The morning had only just come to a close, and already, I knew why. Our little newborn was miserable, and a gut-wrenching feeling of failure was beginning to take root… I couldn't imagine what it would feel like after a week of this. After all, it had only been a morning. But then… I was also feeling guilty and ashamed of my actions, which were slowly but surely becoming clearer in my mind. I guess guilt and shame are complementary to failure, because each time I thought about it, it only made the failure more real.

Rikku had said that Telan had always stopped crying for me. She wasn't stopping now.

The rain clouds had returned from the ocean, and were relentlessly pouring their tears upon Djose. Just as Telan was relentlessly pouring her tears upon me, depending on me to find a way to soak them up and restore the balance once more.

But I knew why she cried, despite my lack of ability to stop it. She wanted comfort. She'd known comfort, after her mother had woken from the coma in Luca, when the three of us had been together, like we should be. She wanted it back. Since we'd left the city, our little girl had not known comfort, not the way she'd known it in Luca. I wanted her to have that comfort again, and I wanted it back myself. I needed it as much as she did. But… even with our combined need, I was no closer to getting it back than I'd been when I'd watched them depart for Besaid.

* * *

"_I thought I could handle her alone… but I can't…"_

* * *

_Much thanks to all the reviewers of Chapter 6! This is a short chapter, I know, but I really like how it turned out. Thanks to **FairyIce** for beta! _

_Please Review! _


	8. Silence

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 8: Silence_**

* * *

Rain fell heavily on the roof as I lie in bed, staring up at the dark ceiling, happy to see nothing. Groggy to a state of numbness, I was happy to feel nothing, as well. What with my protesting mind and my protesting body, I was a one big ball of hurt when I was awake enough to take notice of such things. Perhaps that was part of my reasoning for exhausting myself with traveling quickly… it would keep my mind off of the pain I'd caused. 

In reality, Gippal wasn't at fault. Well… yes, he was, but it all happened because of me. I left, not once, but twice. I'd left for him, really. But I never told him that. I never explained my reasons for leaving. I'd always hoped that he loved me enough to understand, that he would have done the same in my position. Why had I hoped that, I wonder? To convince myself that he loved me? Or to convince myself that I wasn't doing the wrong thing?

In all actuality, I'd made myself miserable for him. The one instant in which I could recall being truly euphoric in the last months was in the moments just after I'd woken, when I held my daughter for the first time… when he kissed me. When the three of us were one and the same, together, a unit. But I'd ruined it. I ruin everything.

I'd abandoned him in Luca, after he'd remained faithfully by my side for nearly two weeks. I had no right to be angry at him when I found him with Adena. But I was.

She'd been the only female companion that I actually felt close to in Djose Temple. She'd been my friend, the first person to know about Telan other than me… I'd trusted her. But I ruined that as well, when I walked into Gippal's house that fateful evening. Had I only waited… maybe she would have been gone. Maybe I could still trust her, still trust him.

I was too tired to cry. My abdomen was throbbing dully, as it had been since I'd begun the trek from the Moonflow. The amount of walking that I'd done lately wasn't necessarily healthy for me. I should have been resting, doing what everyone in Besaid had been trying to help me with. Relaxing, adjusting to my newborn, adjusting to my new reality. But I'm me, and I'm stubborn, and I had to go and ruin that, too. Sometimes, I almost felt like Sin… everywhere I went, heartache followed. It's almost like causing heartache is my mission in life. And, oh, what a sorry mission.

* * *

Dawn's light greeted me long after I'd fallen asleep. I didn't bother to greet it back, but instead, covered my face with a pillow and rolled onto my side, attempting to put off daylight and cohesiveness for just a moment longer. Fleetingly, my mind wandered to Telan. I couldn't help but wonder how she was doing. I knew she must have been fine… she was with Gippal, she _liked_ Gippal. But I was still worried. I couldn't help but hate myself for leaving her with him. I couldn't help but hate him for hurting me. I couldn't help but hate him for agreeing to watch our daughter. But as the icy cold waves of hurt and hate flowed over me, I sank into my mattress more completely, pushing the thoughts from my head. 

I shivered lightly in the late morning chill, pulling my blankets tightly around my aching body. The small walks around Besaid, around the airship or the campsite at Bikanel… those hadn't bothered me. The long one from Djose had done more damage than good, both to my body and my heart. With a depressed sigh, I curled up into a ball, glad that there was no sunlight to force me out of bed in the Plains.

* * *

Mid-afternoon had come along, slowly but surely. I stared blankly at the ceiling. Maybe he was right… maybe it hadn't been how it looked. But how could it not? 

I wanted to make an excuse for his behavior, to make the excuse real, to forgive, and to forget. But really, my common sense told me, there was no excuse. The real was what had happened, and I couldn't forget… or forgive, yet. He'd said he loved me. And I believed him. But… how could I be sure, after what he'd done?

I don't know what I was thinking on the day we departed from Luca. When I woke up, when we'd named our baby, when he'd kissed me and cried… had I been asked, I would have told anyone that I was going to be going home, to Djose, when I was released from the hospital. But my doubt continues to be my downfall, and in doubting myself, I made another huge mistake. This was _my_ fault.

* * *

Tears slowly rolled off my cheek and onto the pillow I'd curled around some time before. My sobbing was quiet, but painful. I continually buried my face in the linen to muffle the sound and attempt to calm myself, but it wasn't working. 

I remembered vaguely, from those unconscious days in Luca, one of those small memories that continually flashed through my mind and then were lost once more. More tears… his, rolling down over my hand. How could he cry for me… and then betray me? How could he make my heart swell with love, and then rip it out of my chest with such force?

It was so lonely, this tiny room in the Thunder Plains. So dark, lonely, cold… why had I run here? Of all places… why had I chosen this one? Perhaps because it reflected how I was feeling? Perhaps… because I wasn't thinking.

* * *

"_Rikku, it's okay… just some thunder."_

"_I don't like thunder!"_

"_I know… I've got you."_

* * *

Thunder rolled through the sky, shaking the foundation as I kept my eyes closed in a silent fear, as I clung to my blanket. There were no arms to keep me safe from the thunder tonight, no warm comfort to purge my fear. 

The strange thing was… even throughout the storm, all I could think of was that comfort. I couldn't help but concentrate on it with my entire being. As if maybe if I thought hard enough… it would be real.

* * *

Midnight came, and finally, the storm had died. I stared out the slightly open curtains from my bed, not remembering when I had gotten up and opened them, even if it was only slightly. I was exhausted… too exhausted to sleep, really. I'd only left my bed to use the bathroom. I hadn't eaten. Dull pains still frequented my abdomen. But I didn't care. 

And with my insomnia came even more doubt. How could this be my fault? He'd messed up this time, hadn't he? I'd caught him. I'd done what I needed to do. I'd searched for him, I'd tried to fix my wrongs. This time, he'd been the one to bring about heartache, not me.

And the scary thing was… some part of me acknowledged my doubt as truth. And another part of me, the bigger part, accepted it without question.

I almost found myself wishing that the storm would sound off once more. I was lost in the silence, and it was tearing me to pieces.

* * *

_Sorry for the long wait… I've been busy and lazy and all of that. I'm going to try to get two more chapters out by next Thursday… Thanks to **FairyIce** for beta and dealing with my crap, lol!_

_Please Review!_


	9. Changes

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 9: Changes_**

* * *

Four days had passed… some of the longest days of my life. With each passing day, my little girl was nearing the one month old mark. I'd celebrated her first day and her first week without Rikku. Now, it seemed I would have to rejoice over her first month of life without her as well. But of course, this time… it was my fault. Last time it was kind of my fault, too.

I took advantage of the moments in which no one was within the Chamber of the Fayth to get inside the temple. The noise of the thunderous rock shell that encased the temple would have scared Telan… and Telan went everywhere with me. The first day I took her into the office, all of the workers had looked at me as if I were insane. I'd already gone about, showing pictures to anyone who was willing (or not willing, as it turned out, for I didn't care) to look. Now I was bringing the real thing into a loud environment? Was I crazy?

Of course I was. And so they adjusted quite quickly. Telan did, too… thankfully. Of course… I had to avoid the questions about why the real thing was here, and not with her mother on Besaid. I'd done a pretty good job, I thought. And, of course… I was the last one left in Djose who was still adjusting to the situation at hand.

* * *

_A knock sounded on the door as I left the kitchen, four empty beer bottles and various containers of hard liquor on the table. I walked to the door, blissfully distracted from all my problems by the heavy buzz of the drink. _

_Once I opened the door, a familiar blonde woman stood outside, smirking. Familiar, but at that moment, I couldn't have told you her name. "Hi, Gippal." _

"_Hey there!" I said, sounding like a bumbling, drunken idiot. Which, of course, I was. _

"_You busy? I had a few questions to ask you…" _

_I shrugged and let her in, not noticing the grin that spread across her features. She glanced inside the kitchen at the bottles, following me into the living room. I sat heavily upon the couch and grinned at her charmingly. "What can I do for ya?"_

_She pushed a few strands of my loose and messy hair off my forehead and sat next to me. I frowned slightly. "Anything you want…"_

_She pulled me to her and kissed my lips seductively. I pulled back in surprise. "Uh… this isn't a good idea…"_

"_Don't you want to do something for me?"_

"_Not really, anymore…"_

_But then, she'd kiss me again, straddled my lap, and unzipped my pants. And I was lost in her actions, stupid enough to succumb to them._

* * *

I sat behind my desk, holding the warm bottle as Telan drank, when a knock sounded on the door that afternoon. "Come in," I called, quietly, careful not to disturb the baby. She liked the loud noises of the workroom. She hated loud noises in places that were supposed to be quiet. It was rather amusing when you stopped to think about it, but quite inconvenient, as well.

Adena slipped into the room, her eyes on the floor. I glared at her for a moment, but when she looked up, I changed my look to one of disinterest and sat straighter in my chair. I was behind the desk, after all, and I was her boss. I needed her to see that from the get go.

"Have a seat." I nodded to one of the two chairs that sat in front of my desk. She stared at me for a moment before pulling the chair out and sitting upon it. Her gaze lingered on Telan for a few fleeting seconds before she looked up at me once more.

"You're firing me, aren't you?"

"No. I have a few questions, though." My calm, cold tone echoed throughout the office. It always amazed me when I switched over to business mode. I was so indifferent… but then again, that was what being an Al Bhed was. We could be calm, collected, cold… like machina. Or we could be bouncy, bright, and warm, like the desert. It was in our blood. I was just more intimidating than most when in machina-mode. "The first being… why did you come over that night in the first place?"

She was quiet, her face guilty. "I honestly did have a question, but then… I noticed that you were a little off… and I…"

"You were in the mood? So you decided to take advantage of my faulty sobriety?" I asked her, calmly, shifting Telan in my arms. I met her eyes coolly, and she nodded ever so slightly. "I figured as much. You've been trying to get me ever since Rikku left. So what did you come over to ask me?"

"If you wanted the new boosters in Hover Model A33…"

"Yeah, I do. But I already told that to the new head of the department, so don't bother yourself with it." I stared down at my daughter, not caring about being rude.

"So you really are firing me?"

"No. Nhadala needed a secretary, and you've done a good job while you were here. So you're going back to Bikanel, indefinitely." I looked up at her now, and shrugged. "You know, Adena, I could have let you keep your job here if you would have approached me while I was sober, but what you did was wrong. I'm not entirely blaming you, I'm partly to blame. However, my judgment was inhibited, yours was not, and your actions are not condonable. I'm sorry."

She shook her head and frowned at the desktop, before gazing at Telan once more. "You have no reason to be sorry. I do." The little one coughed and I pulled her bottle away swiftly, patting her back to keep her from choking on the milk. "She's beautiful."

I nodded. "She really is… you're free to go, Adena. The airship is going to be picking you up in two hours, so I suggest you pack." She stood and walked to the door, opening it before she stopped and turned to face me.

"Tell Rikku I'm sorry."

I nodded appreciatively. "I will."

* * *

I clapped a hand on one of the new mechanics' shoulder. "Grab that wrench… yeah, that one. Use it. It'll work better than that stupid riveter."

He nodded, and I rocked back and forth on my heels, watching him work as I continually kept Telan in motion. She was sleeping, for the moment. I understood what Rikku meant about her not stopping. There were the few pleasant moments in which she was the same calm, happy baby she'd been in Luca, but more often than not, she would scream. The only time I could seem to get her to sleep was when I was surrounded by people. I didn't understand it, really.

"That better, boss?"

"Much. Manual building always works better than using machinery to build… well machinery. Remember that." I grinned and walked away, glancing at the trainees without much interest, occasionally correcting someone. I must have looked ridiculous, holding a baby, surrounded by grime and grease. But I didn't really care. I had two jobs to do, at the moment… lead a faction, be a father. And if this was how I had to do incorporate one into the other, then I'd do it without question.

* * *

I walked up the Highbridge slowly, looking out over the bright waters of Bevelle's harbor. Dolphins frolicked just beneath the surface, far out in the mouth of the expanse. Schools of fish could be seen from where I walked… it was peaceful, in a way. I'd needed things to be peaceful. I'd been gone for nearly six days. Telan would be a month old in two, and I wasn't there, once again. The previous evening, I'd finally picked up a CommSphere and talked to Gippal for a few, tense minutes. He was exhausted, I could tell. Telan was fine, or so he said. But she cried a lot. I knew that, already. I'd simply told him to give her a kiss for me, and broken the connection. It still hurt to see him, even in the CommSphere.

Two soldiers saluted me as I approached the city gates. "Lady Rikku…" I nodded to them, and they let me through the archway. I walked distractedly down the streets toward one of Bevelle's various inns.

"Rikku? What are you doing in the city?" a pleasant voice called out, not far away. I turned toward it and scanned the crowds, grinning a bit as Baralai approached me.

"Hi, Baralai… I… just looking for a place to rest, I guess."

He looked at me expectantly. I just stared back at him. "Yuna said you had the baby?"

I nodded and looked around in vain for someone to save me from explaining my situation. "Yeah… she's with Gippal right now."

"Yeah… I heard."

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Yuna tell you that, too?" He shrugged and grinned.

"Maybe."

"Great." I shook my head and continued to walk toward the inn. My legs were killing me from the walk through Macalania, and I needed to rest.

Baralai reached for my arm and pointed up at the temple. "We've got rooms for special people like you, come on. Don't pay for the hotel when you don't need to."

He was only trying to be nice, after all… I sighed heavily and nodded. It would be good to see an old friend.

* * *

_Here it is! The next chapter will be good, lol! Thanks to **FairyIce**!_

_Just a little note… I got a review today that made me kind of sad. This will be the first time I answer a reviewer in the author note… I usually respond to each reviewer individually by email, but seeing as you didn't leave your email address… **kku-ri**, I'm sorry that the last chapter bored you. I hope this one was more to your liking. Both of them were to my liking, otherwise I wouldn't have posted them. What exactly bored you about number 8? The emotional turmoil, or the lack of interaction between characters, or something else? Despite common belief… handling one character is much more difficult than handling more. It was a difficult chapter to write, and I was rather hoping people would like it. But, if not… I'll just have to try harder, I guess. Next time you review, if you find something you don't like, could you be specific? Maybe then I'll know how to fix it, instead of having to wonder what was interesting and what was not. Because, while that chapter may have bored you… reading a review that doesn't necessarily have much of a review in it except for a comment that gives me no help, but does give me some confusion, is rather boring as well. Thanks. (If that sounded evil, I apologize. I didn't mean for it to.) Even so, to you and the others, thanks for taking the time to review. I appreciate it, and I do hope that this chapter makes up for whatever number 8 lacked. **Emmy-miester**… chapter 18 of TIAA is almost finished. I hate that fic, as **FairyIce** well knows. I'm trying to finish it, but the ideas aren't flowing, and I hate to force it. Then it sounds REALLY bad, as opposed to it's normal state of horrid, lol._

_Please Review!_


	10. Uncharted Territory

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 10: Uncharted Territory_**

* * *

"_Trust me!" he said, smiling up at me from the rocks below. "I wouldn't bring you here if you couldn't handle the climb."_

_I huffily stared down at him, my hands on my hips. "My idea of a romantic evening getaway doesn't include climbing down insane cliffs next to the freezing cold ocean, Gippal!"_

"_But mine does, so stop being opinionated and get down here. The sooner you do that, the sooner we can get away from the insane cliff and the freezing cold ocean." He only smirked, and I rolled my eyes. Once I'd found comfortable hand holds, I made my way slowly down the face of the cliff, frowning moodily all the while. _

_Once I reached the last few feet of the cliff, I felt his hands on my waist, and I blushed, my frown fading. "I've got you," he said, and I grinned, jumping down from my place on the rock, his firm grip steadying my descent. _

_I grinned at him as he leaned closer, leaning his head to one side. I knew what he wanted. But instead, I pulled away and meandered off down the path despite the fact that I had no idea where I was going. "So, let's get away from the cliff and the water."_

"_Rikku…" he groaned, frustrated. But there was a smirk on his face, and I knew he hadn't expected anything else. "Fine, c'mon…" He reached for my hand and tugged me off in the opposite direction. I rolled my eyes and staggered along behind him as he laughed at my clumsiness. _

"_Where are you taking me?" I whined, planting my feet as he led me into a fissure in the cliff-side. _

"_It's a _surprise_," he said, with fake frustration. I sighed heavily. _

"_You keep saying that!"_

"_That's because it's true!" I followed him silently as the fissure became a cave, trusting him despite the eerie feeling I was getting from the dark atmosphere._

_Finally, the cave became a stairwell, and I planted my feet. "Alright, where are you taking me!" I asked, squinting in the dark. _

"_It's not far, now… I promise, I wouldn't take you there if it weren't perfectly safe." I rolled my eyes again. _

"_I could handle myself if it weren't safe."_

"_I know, but I wouldn't put you in an unsafe position, if I had anything to say about it." He grinned cheekily and pulled me along up the stairs._

_After a few more minutes, we finally reached a doorway. I peered inside and grinned, the candlelight from within lighting my face. "What is this?"_

"_Apparently, five hundred years ago, those summoning parties who reached Djose were tested, to see who was worthy and able to go on with the pilgrimage. The summoners went through the usual Cloister of Trials with their guardians, but in order for the summoners to be released from the Chamber of the Fayth, the guardians had to locate this room within five hours of their summoners' entrance to the Chamber. The Chamber of the Fayth is on the other side. I don't really understand the custom, but I know that it stopped about five hundred years after Sin's first attack. We only found this place a few weeks ago." He pulled me within the room and pointed up at the doorway. "'The Chamber of the Guardian'," he read aloud. I grinned over at him. _

"_So this is what you wanted me to see?"_

"_Well… you're a guardian. I thought you might like it. That it might be a nice little surprise." He shrugged and walked off across the room, toward a small basket in the corner, that rested on a blanket. "And I brought dinner down here earlier, so we can celebrate your first week in Djose without all those rowdy workers around." I laughed and crossed the room, sitting next to him on the blanket. _

_After giving him a quick kiss, I looked around the large chamber with interest. "It _was_ a nice little surprise." He just grinned and unpacked the contents of the basket, as I looked around appreciatively. _

* * *

I looked about my room skeptically. I'd been to Bevelle with Yuna just after she'd defeated Sin. The room that Baralai had so graciously refused to let me pass up was just as big as the suite she'd been given back then. It was a room fit for a High Summoner. Not an ex-guardian. "Do you have anything less… huge?" I asked, looking back at the Praetor.

He laughed. His laugh was nice, light and airy. "You deserve a little rest and relaxation, I think. Why not take it?"

"Because. I'm already feeling lonely enough, I don't need a huge room to make me feel any more lost and tiny and… alone." I frowned for a moment. _Must I really make myself sound so very pitiful?_

He frowned slightly, but shook his head. "This is the perfect relaxation room for a new mother. Go, rest… I'll make sure to come and wake you for dinner."

I held his gaze in protest for a moment, but then I remembered something that Yuna had told me long ago about not fighting with politicians when they were trying to make themselves feel benevolent, and I stood down. With a little smile, and I waved him off. "Thanks… see you tonight."

He nodded and I closed the door, locking it behind me. My gaze wandered toward the huge bed that rested against the far wall, and I climbed upon it with haste, exhausted from traveling. The mattress was the finest money could buy, and I was asleep within minutes. I didn't even bother to change out of my traveling clothes.

* * *

That evening, I sat at a small table near the back of the palace's grand dining room, staring out the window at the waters. I'd ordered a light salad for dinner, but I'd barely eaten any of it. With a glance around the large, empty room, I suddenly felt lonelier than I had in a long while. I wanted to just forget about all of this and go back. But things weren't that simple.

I stabbed my fork into a piece of chicken and twirled it as I stared miserably at my plate. Footsteps echoed through the empty room, and I looked toward the entrance. Baralai smiled back at me, a tray in his hands. "I went up to find you, but you weren't in your room."

"I was hungry," I stated quietly, shrugging as he pulled out the chair opposite me and sat down.

He stared down at my plate and cocked an eyebrow, his expression so close to Gippal's usual smirk that I looked away. "Uh-huh…" With a sigh, he picked up a fork and began to poke at his own salad. "If you're hungry you should eat that."

"I said I _was_ hungry. That doesn't mean I still am." I put my fork down and stared miserably down at my plate, almost oblivious to his presence.

"You aren't taking care of yourself, are you?" he asked quietly, setting his own fork down.

And even when my mind acknowledged that statement, anger started to boil in my veins. "Who are you to make that assumption?"

"A friend, I thought." His voice was concerned, but not angry. Gippal would have been furious… concerned, but furious at my subtle suggestion that he wasn't. That he had no right to be.

"Yeah, but…" I was quiet for moment, before I relented under Baralai's knowing gaze. "Without Yuna and Lulu around to force me, or Brother, or Cid… or Gippal… it's… well, I just…"

"You're depressed. You're still adjusting to the baby, who, by the way, I still haven't seen a picture of. You're mad at Gippal, and you're mad at yourself. Of course you're not going to want to eat, or do anything for that matter." I was silent for a moment, as I stared at him.

"How do you know all that? As far as I can tell, you've never had a baby and run away from everything before… you're mister responsibility…" I chuckled softly, but without much heart.

"No, but I'm trying to understand… so let me help you. I know I'm not Yuna, or Lulu, Cid, Brother… but at least let me try." His gentle eyes met my own slightly misted ones, and I wasn't sure what to think.

But then I nodded. "Okay… thanks."

He nodded with a smile and picked up his fork again. With cheeky grin, he pointed at my own fork. "Now eat."

I gave a small chuckle and picked up my fork, shaking my head with a grin.

* * *

The little boat sailed out over the water of the wide bay. I stared down through the clear liquid at the schools of fish circling far below, lost in thought. Baralai sat next to me, minding the sails, maneuvering them to catch the wind. I sighed heavily and protested as he tried to show me how to hold the rudder straight. "I'm really just… not in the mood to try to learn anything right now. I'm too tired."

"Rikku, come on, it'll be fun. I promise."

"Baralai!"

"Just… try it. I've never known you to be one to crash out on a party. This will be fun!"

I glared at him for a moment, but then I grinned. "Fine. But only because I'm tired of being boring."

"I'm tired of you being boring, too." He chuckled as I playfully smacked him, and proceeded to position my hands on the rudder. "Just keep it steady, so we keep going straight."

I grinned and mischievously let the rudder wander to the left. "Like that?"

He reached out and steadied my hands, keeping a firm grip on them, grinning all the while despite his stern voice. "No, like this."

I rolled my eyes and held the rudder straight, squinting up into the sun at him. "I've never been sailing before, don't get annoyed with me."

"How could I ever get annoyed with _you_?" he asked, laughing heartily. I smacked him and giggled, slightly amazed of how infectious his laughter was.

"Shush," I said, holding onto the rudder while I leaned on the side of the boat.

"Yes, ma'am!" Baralai began to mess with the sails as I frowned at him.

"And don't call me that, it makes me feel old." He just laughed… I couldn't help but laugh, too.

* * *

_I leaned against the cold metal railing of one of the Faction's salvage ships, the hood of my sweatshirt pulled up over my head to protect me from the sea-spray. I pointed out over the water toward the Baaj Temple. "Alright, crew, we found one airship here, and now we're going to try and find more. Be careful down there, there's these nasty evil fish things that try to eat you and chase you around… and stuff…" The crew members laughed at my explanation, and I just grinned happily back at them. "Get going!" _

_As soon as the crew scattered, I went back to leaning on the rail. I was only supervising this excavation, though I'd rather be down in the water, finding things myself. I stared absently at the cold gray waters as I thought about the last few weeks. Gippal had promoted me to Djose, and now I was supervising, designing… being a mechanic. It was a wonderful job, and I'd already made some friends and developed a bond with my crew. But the best part of this job was being able to see Gippal… our relationship was finally beginning to move forward. _

_As I thought about him, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I grinned slightly and shook my head. "I'm working, Gippal!" His arms wrapped around my waist, and he hugged me tightly. I noticed how cute he looked in a baggy sweatshirt as I turned around to give him a small kiss on the cheek. _

"_I'm paying you!" _

"_You should be working, too."_

"_I'm taking a break. I can afford to do that every… ten minutes or so." I rolled my eyes at him. _

"_We're going to have dinner together tonight, aren't we?" I asked, pouting slightly. He'd been busy the night before, and had had to cancel our dinner date. _

"_I'm trying, Rikku, but I have a lot of orders to fill and customers to yell at before quittin' time."_

"_Then get back to work so we can have dinner!" I laughed as he hugged me tightly again, pressing his cheek to mine. When he pulled away, he saluted me. _

"_Yes, Ma'am!"_

"_Don't call me that, it makes me feel old."_

"_Alright, then. Yes, Missy!" I giggled and he meandered back towards the doorway to the inside of the ship. I shook my head and returned to watching my crew._

* * *

I'd never had the chance to look at Bevelle under the night sky, before. The last time I'd been there over night, I'd been in a jail cell, in a watery world of death… fighting an unsent Maester. I hadn't had the time to look. During the Gullwings' travel, we hadn't stayed longer than we needed to. But now, I got to see the city in all its glory. Downtown Luca was beautiful at night, with all of the colored lights shining from the windows of the stores and clubs, but all of Bevelle sparkled.

Lights came from every area of the city, in a scattered rainbow of colors. The waters of the bay that surrounded it glinted as the waves lapped against the piers. I smiled as Baralai passed a glass of wine into my hands. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

I nodded, taking a sip of the fine chardonnay. "Yeah… I've never seen it before." I pointed out toward the Macalania woods, which were just visible on the shoreline. "Two years ago, if you slept in the woods, the trees would glow. The city kind of looks like that."

Baralai frowned. "I wish we could find a way to preserve the woods. They really are exquisite."

I nodded, though I wouldn't have chosen 'exquisite' to describe them. The woods were beautiful, special… of course, in a way, they were exquisite, but they meant too much to simply be appreciated for that. But I agreed, in any case. "That they are."

He was quiet for a moment, as he leaned on the railing. I looked out toward the woods, calmly tapping my fingers against my wine glass. "You are, too," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I froze for a moment, not certain that I'd heard him correctly. "I'm what, too?" I asked, looking over at him.

"Exquisite." He looked back at me with a small smile on his lips. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not.

"I wouldn't call myself that," I said, hesitantly. _Where is he going with this?_

"That's because you don't see yourself how everyone else sees you." Baralai approached me, and I looked up at him from where I sat, not sure of what to think.

"What does that mean?"

"You're an amazing girl, Rikku."

"…what does _that_ mean?"

He knelt in front of me, that soft smile on his lips, and leaned forward. I was confused for a moment, until his lips met mine in a chaste kiss. My eyes were wide with shock for a second, before he pulled away. "Does that answer your question?" he asked quietly, his hand on my knee.

I just blinked at him silently, my mind boggled. He leaned forward again, catching my lips. A gentle breeze caught my hair, and I closed my eyes unconsciously, responding to the kiss ever so slightly.

* * *

_Hey everyone! I'm so sorry that that took so long. My play closed and I had a series of social gatherings that I couldn't ignore, and then school started. Since I didn't do any of my summer homework until the day before, I kind of had to put this off until now. Now that school is back in session (I'M A SENIOR, YESSSS), I think one chapter a week is going to be the maximum. Dance will start again soon, too, in which case I'll probably be updating once a week on the weekends (Fri-Sun). So, thanks for all the reviews! I hope you all continue to like it. Strangely enough, this chapter is kind of the driver for the real plotline to begin! So, thanks to **FairyIce** for beta and all the wonderful advice, and to **Andrea Roberts** for pre-reading for me last night when I really needed a second opinion and I couldn't find **FairyIce** (lol). So, I hope you enjoy!_

_Please Review!_


	11. A Moment to Deliberate

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 11: A Moment to Deliberate_**

* * *

My hair flowed freely in the breeze, and Baralai couldn't seem to stop touching it. My hands had wandered of their own accord around his neck; he had one arm around my waist, the other buried in my mass of hair as he kissed me, gently. His entire manner radiated that same gentleness, a soft tenderness that had me mesmerized.

I clung to him in abandon, kissing him softly, so very uncertain. I hadn't realized how much I'd needed the contact, how much I'd needed someone to hold me, until now. I heard only the sound of the breeze and the water, felt only his touch. We were standing near the railing now, and I leaned back against it as he pulled away to take a breath. I rested my head on his shoulder, unsure of what to think, but strangely calm. "Baralai…" I murmured, staring off at the city lights.

He hugged me tightly. I continued to gaze out over the city, over the bay for a few long moments. His fingers were entangled in my hair. I looked up at him and he immediately caught my lips again. I closed my eyes and leaned into him, lost in my need for contact.

I pulled back once more, staring up at him without a thought. He smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "You shine brighter than the city in my eyes, Rikku." I glanced out at the lights once more, before giving off a small blush. He only smiled and reached down, plucking me from the ground and carrying me back toward the doorway to my room.

I giggled softly, keeping my arms around his neck for more support. He crossed the large area, holding me steady in his surprisingly strong arms all the while. Gently, he set me down on the bed and sat next to me, pulling all my hair over one shoulder as he kissed my neck. His hands wandered to the front of the Bevellian style robe I'd been wearing to keep warm, and he unfastened the ties, pulling it off my shoulders, discarding it. I pulled back, my own hands wandering down his chest, searching for the ties to his own robe. I longed to remember the feeling of smooth skin against my own.

I pulled his heavy robe from his shoulders and placed it close to mine, before looking at him once more. His silver hair gleamed in the dim light of the room, as he moved closer to me and kissed me once more, pushing me down on the bed heatedly. As he covered my body with his own, I pulled him closer, desperate to feel wanted once again.

* * *

I woke slowly, the light of early morning seeping through the open balcony door, accompanying the cool breeze that was blowing through Bevelle. Blinking into the bright light of dawn, I took a deep breath and contemplated pulling the sheets closer around my body. With a sigh, I shifted slightly, unwilling to move, but unwilling to live with the cool air that was seeping in from the doorway.

I started slightly when I felt Baralai's arm tighten itself around my waist, before I recalled the night before. I flushed slightly, and very gently reached below the sheets to pry his arm from my waist. His grip only tightened, and in his sleeping state, he nuzzled my neck, getting closer and more comfortable than he'd been only moments before.

I relaxed in his grip, not shrinking away from it, but not warming to it, either. He slept soundly as he lightly caressed my abdomen. I looked out over the bay, watching dolphins jump in the distance. Long moments passed in which I simply stared at the bright blue water.

But then I began to think. To think about a shocking fuzz of white blonde hair, about bright and innocent aqua eyes. To think about how much I'd missed having that little girl in my arms. To think about that strange and overwhelming love that had passed over me in waves when I'd first woken.

I remembered the overjoyed kisses he'd planted on my fingers when I'd opened my eyes, when I'd finally come to. The tears that had rolled down his cheeks, and his quiet, painful sobbing, suppressed as he tried to hold his feelings back. The strength that he tried to show, despite the fact that I knew he was just as fragile as I was. The look on his face as he watched me hold our daughter, and as he watched us sail away.

Baralai pulled me closer.

I remembered how gentle he was with me when we'd first made love. I remembered his smile when I agreed to return to Djose with him back when I'd been working on Bikanel Island, how he'd acted so certain of himself without bothering to hide the fact that he was happy about it. I remembered the stories that Yuna had told me about her meetings with him, his depressed, distracted, and worried state. I remembered him holding me in the window seat on the day my pregnancy was confirmed, and I remember practically bursting with an urge to tell him.

I felt warm breath on my shoulder as Baralai began to shift behind me. "Rikku…"

For a moment, looking around the room, everything appeared as if behind a screen. And then it hit me. Everything about the previous evening had been too perfect. I didn't want perfect. I wanted the little things that made life interesting, the big yawns that made my heart melt with love. I wanted that special feeling I got when he held my hand, the butterflies that fluttered in my stomach when he kissed me, the uncertainty of not knowing what was going to happen next. I didn't want Baralai. I wanted Telan. I wanted Gippal.

A hot tear slid down my cheek. _What am I doing here?_ Baralai was stirring behind me, planting a kiss on my bare shoulder as I tensed and pulled the sheets closer around my chest. "Hey…" he whispered, gently rolling me onto my back. The tears that were slowly trailing down my face seemed to startle him out of his groggy state. Quickly, he sat up, the sheets falling to reveal lightly tanned torso. I sat up as well, looking away as I wrapped myself in the sheet.

"I'm sorry," I whispered quietly, trying to hold my sudden onset of tears back.

"Rikku… hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?" His eyes were concerned as he gently gripped my shoulders, pulling me closer. "Did I hurt you?" I shook my head, biting my lip. "Then what is it?"

"I can't do this, Baralai…" I said quietly. "I just can't." I felt so vulnerable, sitting there with nothing but a sheet on, tears streaming down my face.

"Rikku…" he began, quiet as he stroked my hair. I couldn't stop my tears from flowing, and I was tired of trying. And so I let them go, staring down at the perfect white bed covers as I began to sob. "Hey, it's okay…" he whispered, pulling me into his lap, holding me tightly. I quivered in his embrace, grateful for the contact, but oh so scared of it.

"I want my baby, Baralai… I miss her. I shouldn't have left her, I should have stayed! She's already had to live a week and a half of her life without me, I should've stayed…" He gently kneaded at my back in an effort to comfort me. Gippal had done that, after I'd come in from a long day of work… I began to sob even harder.

"Of course you miss her, Rikku, she's your daughter." He was frowning. I shook my head.

"Exactly… she's my daughter and I left her. I just left her." I buried my face in his shoulder, my tears staining his skin. He continued to stroke my hair comfortingly, not saying anything.

For a long moment, I let him hold me. When I spoke up again, my voice was slightly under control, and my tears were slowing. I knew what I needed to do now, and that was what I'd left Djose to figure out. "Baralai… I need to go back…"

He pulled away from me quickly, looking me in the eyes. "Why?"

"… because I love him."

His face fell as I looked at him. He gripped my shoulders lightly, and looked into my eyes once more. "He doesn't deserve you, Rikku…"

I bit my lip and looked away. "I feel horrible for doing this to him, Baralai."

"He did it to you."

I watched him for a moment, before nodding. "He did. But I'm not him. I love him, and I can't just ignore it. It's making my heart ache, being away from him and Telan… I need to find a way to make it work."

After a long moment of staring at me, Baralai looked at the bay, as I'd done earlier, looking distracted. "I can't say I wasn't expecting it," he said, in his light tone.

"I'm sorry."

We were both quiet for a long while, before he leaned down, giving me a quick kiss before pulling away. "It's alright. I understand." He hugged me tightly before moving to the edge of the bed, reaching for his clothing that lay scattered on the floor. I averted my gaze as he silently dressed and made his way toward the door.

"Baralai?" I asked, softly, looking at him from my spot on the bed. He stopped and looked at me, waiting patiently. "Thank you."

With a small nod, he grinned at me. "Thank you, too."

"Friends?"

"Always. I'll be here if you ever need anything." And with that, he left the room, shutting the door softly behind him. I gazed out the doorway once more, my eyes shining as bright as the open water before me.

* * *

I stood near the cliffs that overlooked the rest of Spira, looking toward that little line on the horizon that was the Moonflow. It was so far away from where I was, but I could still see it. For me, that was the important thing. I hadn't lost sight of it. I could still see it.

Behind me, I could see the towering peak of Mount Gagazet, the mark of the Fayth Scar on the mountain. The clouds and storms had cleared over the mountain, though the cool temperatures preserved the ice and snow. The old ruins at the very top could now be seen if you knew where to look. I smiled as I remembered our first mission there. It seemed like so long ago… but it wasn't, really. No more than a year had passed since that day. My gaze returned to the Moonflow.

I'd left Bevelle, quietly, unnoticeably. Baralai was probably the only person who had even realized I was there. I was grateful for that. I was grateful that he'd helped me to figure out what I wanted and needed, that he'd been selfless enough to let me go. He'd understood the reasons behind all my actions. And I understood the reasons for all of his. Still, I was happy to be gone. I couldn't see the Moonflow in Bevelle. But in the Calm Lands, it was just there, near the place where the sun rose.

Every now and then, in the hills that were barely visible beyond the Moonflow, I imagined that I could see the flickering lightning that swirled around Ixion's holy place. I could see it in my mind's eye, I knew where it was, and I longed for it.

The light breeze that ran through the valley grew stronger as a roar of engine filled the air above me. I looked up at the Celsius as it landed in the grassland, not far from where I stood. I must have been distracted to have missed its approach, but I didn't care. Never before had I been more grateful to see the ship.

The ramp lowered, a mechanical sound that seemed to be out of place in this valley that had seen the end of so many Sins. Brother walked down it and walked towards me. I waited for him, quietly.

"You're going back, then? Just like that?" he asked when he reached me.

I nodded. "Just like that. I need to clean up my messes. And it's always easier to start with the hardest ones to clean, you know? Because then the smaller ones are a little easier to pull together."

He nodded, following my gaze. "I understand. I'm just shocked, that's all. You aren't one to make a decision."

"That needs to change, I think."

He scanned the horizon. "The Moonflow looks so tiny, from here."

"Yeah." I sighed heavily, closing my eyes as the wind whirled around me. Then, my brother's arm tightened around my shoulder, and he pulled me away from the scenery in the distance.

"Come on. Let's get you back to where you need to be…"

* * *

As I wandered the familiar hallways of Djose temple, I carefully controlled the happiness that I was feeling at being back. Most of the workers had already gone home for the day, and the halls were uncharacteristically bare as I walked through them. Up the stairs I went, glancing at the hallway leading to the Chamber of the Fayth as I passed it. Gippal's office was secluded, just around the corner.

The doorway was in front of me before I knew it, and I knocked softly, waiting for an answer. When I didn't get one, I pushed the door open, hesitant. The room was quiet, no different than it had been the last time I'd been inside. Only a few subtle changes were noticeable: more pictures frames and a tiny blue sphere lined the desk, more papers were stacked upon it, and a little playpen sat behind it, near the chair.

I could just see Telan's little face, as she slept soundly within the playpen. I was quiet as I walked over, as I reached down and gently picked her up. I smoothed her blond hair and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, holding her close to me as I turned around. A smile lined my lips when I saw the pictures on the desk. Most were of Telan, of course, but there was one of the three of us before we'd left the hospital, and one of Gippal and I. Before everything else had come into play.

I realized that Yuna had been right when she'd told me that Gippal had changed. I'd never known him to keep personal effects in the workplace. Only people who were happiest at home surrounded themselves with mementoes of home at work. The picture of he and I had once been the only thing in the office that had suggested that he had a life other than the Faction. There was more than that, now. Yes, there was that old picture… but there were new ones, as well.

Slowly, I walked to the comfortable couch that had always been sitting in the very same spot, the couch that had a heavy blanket draped over the back, a hidden pillow behind it, the couch that I'd found Gippal sprawled upon many a time when work had kept him from making the short trip downstairs to his bedroom. I sat, pulling the pillow from the hiding spot, using it as an arm support as I curled up on the tiny couch with my daughter. I held her tiny hand in mine, amazed that she was still so small.

The door opened slowly, quietly, and I looked up. Gippal had walked inside, shut the door behind him, and was rubbing his head, his eyes closed. "Are you alright?" I asked, quiet so as not to disturb the baby.

Gippal's eyes opened in a flash, instantly alert as he looked at me. At first, he looked confused, but then relief flooded his face. "Rikku… you came back..." His voice was so quiet, it was almost a whisper.

"Gippal… I slept with Baralai."

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Yay, she's back in Djose! Yay! Um… so I thought Baralai was hot. Jen thought Baralai was hot. It makes me happy. But Gippy definitely wins. So, don't worry all. Not gonna end with Rikku and Baralai, I promise. Keep on readin'! Thanks **FairyIce** for beta!_

_Please Review!_


	12. Again

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 12: Again_**

* * *

Was I dreaming, or was it her? Why were all the feelings that had rushed through me when she'd woken up resurfacing? I couldn't figure out the answer, and those few seconds felt like an eternity. And then it all went crashing down.

"Gippal… I slept with Baralai." Her voice was quiet, serious… something else was there, but I couldn't place it. My mind went numb.

"W-what?" I stared at her, silently, unable to think. This was a sick joke. A lie. Something to get me fired up before she ran into my arms and let me hold her and never let her go. Something false… or… was it true?

"I slept with Baralai." I stared at her in silence for a long period of time. She looked at the ground, her pallor paling. "And… well, I… I thought you should know."

I laughed a bit, though no humor or joy reached the sound. It was empty. "Stop playin' with me, Rikku."

"I'm not."

"You didn't sleep with him. He's my best friend, you wouldn't do that." I watched her again, as her gaze left the floor, met my own.

"I did. And I wanted to tell you."

"You _what_?" I hissed. She shrunk back into the couch, holding onto our baby.

"I… I wanted to tell-"

"Tell me? Tell me what, Rikku? That you slept with my friend to get back at me for sleeping with yours?"

"No, Gippal! It's not like that!"

"Sure it isn't." I averted my gaze from her, looking towards my desk, toward the picture of the two of us. A powerful rage overtook me, and I picked the picture up, hurling it at the wall. Rikku's eyes were slightly fearful, and I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath in an effort to calm myself. Then, I stormed out of my office, turning my back on her. Something I'd never done.

I turned the corner angrily, slamming a fist against the hard stone wall. A stinging pain immediately ran up and down my arm, but I ignored it. I heard the door of my office open, heard quiet, cautious footsteps ring out through the hallway. I ignored them, too.

"Gippal…"

"Get away from me, Rikku." I glared at her as I leaned back against the wall, my hand throbbing. I looked down at it distractedly, my eyes stinging as even more pain ran through my arm. I was bleeding… it was swelling. I ignored it.

"Your hand… what did you do? Punch something?"

"The wall. Wouldn't you? No, no, that's right. You threw a vase at my head. Now I remember…" I began to pace the hall, taking care to keep my arm still.

"…I'm sorry." Her voice was quiet, but it echoed through the halls. I looked at her blankly for a moment, trying to push my anger back.

"You know what? Usually, I'd believe that. But… I can't just take it, anymore. So hurry up, do what you came to do. Don't hurt me even more, damnit, because I'm tired of you stepping all over me like this!"

"What do you mean? Do what I came to do? I came to tell you, Gippal, to apologize." I took a few slow steps toward her, and she backed away fearfully.

"To apologize. I see. You slept with Baralai. And you came to tell me. And let me guess, to apologize for taking Telan with you when you leave me _again_ to go back to _him_?"

Her face fell, and tears began to form in her eyes. "Wha- no! No, Gippal, how could you-"

"-think that? Because. That's what you do. You leave. You _always_ leave. And I'm finished."

She stopped cold in her tracks and stared at me, stunned.

"I'm done with you and your games. I'm tired of loving you when all I get from you is a whole lot of nothing. Love is supposed to hurt a little. But not this much, Rikku. I've done nothing to deserve this." I was shaking now, the pain in my arm and the rage only fueling it. "But let you know one thing. You will not take her away from me again. She's all I've got, without you. And I don't have you anymore, Rikku, I think that's the only thing about you that I can depend on."

Silent tears were running down her cheeks as I walked away. I ignored them.

* * *

My anger had calmed with the effects of the painkillers the Faction doctor had given me. I scowled as I made my way back to my office, trying not to acknowledge the splint that encased my wrist and hand. I'd been stupid to hit the wall. It was hard.

The door was slightly open when I reached it. I quietly pushed inside, looking to where Rikku lay curled forlornly on the couch, wrapped in one of my blankets, her head resting on the pillow I kept hidden. Her cheeks stained with tear trails.

I'd been expecting her to have left already. I'd expected to have to go after her to get Telan back. But there she was, curled up on my office couch, sleeping as tears not yet dry trailed down her cheeks.

I watched her for a long while before I noticed that she held a broken picture frame against her chest. Taking Telan from the playpen, draping her over my shoulder with much difficulty, I knelt next to Rikku and nudged her.

She was alert quickly, sitting up and pushing the blanket down. "I'm here… I… Gippal…."

I stood and nodded toward the door. "Come with me. You won't get much rest on that couch. You've got a big day tomorrow, traveling again and all."

She sat up and stood slowly, looking me in the eyes. Fresh tears were forming as she looked at me, as she clung to the picture frame in her arms. "I'm not going anywhere."

I walked down the stairs and took some halls to the back of the temple, Rikku following me. Neither of us spoke, to keep Telan asleep. It worked out well. I didn't necessarily feel like talking to her, at the moment.

I kept Telan covered with her blanket as we walked through the rain toward my little house. I didn't mind getting wet, personally. I kept my splint under Telan's blanket as well, just in case. Rikku's light sweater did nothing to keep out the rain, and her hair was dripping wet by the time we reached the gate. I didn't care. Or at least, I didn't show her that I cared.

Her bags were sitting by the front door. I assumed that Brother had dropped them off there. Normally, I would've picked them up like the gentleman I sometimes tried to be, but I didn't bother. I simply opened the door and walked inside, leaving Rikku in the doorway.

I stood in the living room, rocking Telan back and forth as I waited. Rikku entered the room slowly, dropping her bags at the end of the entryway. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, quietly.

"Doing what?" I responded, quiet as she was. She took a few steps into the room, and then stopped, looking at the floor and back toward her bags.

"Letting me into your home." Suddenly, the earlier rage I'd felt subsided completely. She was shivering, wet, and even though I was still angry at her, I couldn't help but feel something for her.

I looked down at Telan, who was resting quietly. It was a shock to see her calm for so long. "I'll be right back…" I said quietly, before walking off down the hall. I went into my room and placed her in the crib, covering her with a warm blanket. With a sigh, I stared down at her for a moment.

I was mad. I'd been right when I said that I didn't deserve this. I had a right to be mad. But maybe, just maybe… she'd come back for a reason. Not to take Telan away, not to leave me… but simply to come back. I had to give her a chance, even if I couldn't forgive her. She'd given me a chance, in a way, as well. But more than any of that, Telan deserved a chance. I'd do anything for my baby. And I was going to try, for her, to do the right thing.

* * *

I walked back into the living room. Rikku still stood in the entryway, shivering slightly. I quietly crossed the main room and stood next to her, holding out the soft towel I'd taken from the linen cabinet. A large sweatshirt hung over my arm as well. "Hey… you should take off that sweater and warm up. It's cold outside. You're still not completely recovered from the coma and all…"

She looked up at me, a shocked look in her eyes. Distantly, she removed her sweater. I handed her my baggy sweatshirt and the towel. She patted her hair dry before moving out of the entryway. "…thank you."

I watched as she looked around, continually patting her hair with the towel. I felt a little awkward, pushing my anger at her away. I cleared my throat and pointed hesitantly. "I… I uh… got a new couch… the other day."

She looked over at it and regarded it coolly, letting the towel fall over her shoulders. "Why?"

"The old one was ugly."

A small grin crossed her features, and I grinned a little, too. Of course I couldn't tell her the real reason. But she knew why. I could tell.

"Good reason for it to go."

"Yeah."

We were quiet for a few more moments, staring blankly at the couch, at the floor, at the unadorned walls. Then, she looked over at me hesitantly. "You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"Why are you letting me into your home? After all that I've done… why?" Her eyes were sad, as if she didn't really want me to answer. But… I wanted to. Sort of.

"…it's not home, yet, really." _Not without you._ "But I'm working on it."

She stared at me questioningly. "That didn't answer my-"

"Just… come here." I walked off down the hall, and pushed open the door to the kitchen. Rikku followed me inside.

"All I have in here that means anything are the dishes and the liquor bottles. And they really don't mean much. There's nothing on the walls… and until you left Telan with me, nothing inside the walls, really."

"Where are you going with this?"

I left the kitchen, Rikku still trailing me, and walked down the hall, opening another door. I walked into the room. Two stairs led down to the inside. The walls were a pale yellow color, still glistening as if wet. A white crib sat in the middle of the far wall, a lavender bedding set inside it. Light lavender curtains hung at the window, a white rocking chair sat in the corner. A little changing table rested against another wall, as did a dresser. A large teddy bear sat on the floor next to the rocking chair, and the crib had a tiny stuffed chocobo inside. The room was simple. I'd liked it that way. I looked over at Rikku, waiting for her reaction.

She didn't do anything for the first few seconds, but when she looked around, I could see a strange emotion in her eyes. She walked down the two small steps, peering into the crib, and out the window. She picked up the teddy bear in the corner and pressed her face into it, before looking back at me. I walked over to her and removed the bear from her hands, setting it back down on the ground. "It's not home yet because it's just been me. And nowhere is home for me unless you and Telan are with me." I looked around at the room, which I was rather proud of despite its lack of completeness. "It's still not home, Rikku, but… I'm working on it. I think it's about time that you work on it, too, don't you?"

She nodded, with a heavy sigh, and looked up at me again, her eyes teary once more. "It's perfect."

I shrugged. "No, it needs a mother's touch to be perfect. I just did all the put together dirty stuff, and I bought a few stuffed animals." I looked at the ground. Suddenly, I felt a dull pain as my broken wrist was jostled. Rikku's face was buried in my chest, her arms tight around my neck.

I stood there, straight as a rail, uncertain of what to do. Vaguely, I noticed that the top of her head only reached my chin, noticed that her molten gold plait was still damp. I felt her hot tears as they rolled off her cheeks and onto my skin. Normally, I would rush to comfort her, but now… I wasn't so sure I wanted to.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry for everything. I never… I shouldn't have done this to you. You've done nothing but love me, and you didn't deserve this."

It felt good to hear her say that. "No, I didn't."

"I was stupid to leave in the first place. I shouldn't have left her with you, either, I should have stayed and dealt with it. I should have believed you."

"You're right, but you didn't. You can't change that now."

"And I never should have let him kiss me. I never should have just gone with it… just because I wanted to feel loved. That's the only reason I did it, Gippal. I wasn't even thinking!" Her eyes were pleading, begging for forgiveness. Forgiveness that I couldn't readily give. "I should have stopped it."

"But you didn't. You didn't think." I was shocked at the mix of anger and sadness in my voice. "If you'd thought about it, really thought, you would have realized that I never stopped loving you. If you love me as much as I thought you did… why would you need Baralai to make you feel it?"

She looked me in the eye for a few long moments, before shaking her head. "You shouldn't have slept with her."

"You shouldn't have slept with him."

"I didn't know what I was doing, Gippal. I didn't plan it."

"Neither did I!"

She pulled her hands from around my neck, and I winced as she bumped my arm once again. "I don't think you realize just how much you've torn me apart." Her voice was hushed.

Mine wasn't. "Me! Torn _you _apart? You've ripped my heart to shreds, Rikku, repeatedly!"

"You've hurt me just as badly!"

"She was an accident! What the hell, Rikku, are you expecting me to bend over backwards to get you to understand that?" I yelled loudly, forgetting the calm I'd tried to establish.

"I'm not talking about her, anymore!" she yelled back, her damp hair falling to cover her eyes. Locked in a heated stare, I could feel the tension between us rising once more. Her voice was almost a whisper when she spoke next. "E mavd oui palyica E muja oui. Fro ec ed cu rynt vun oui du caa?"

That puzzled me. "What do you mean? That makes no sense."

"Yes, it does. If you thought, really thought, about it, you'd understand. But you haven't really thought about it, have you?" Suddenly, a quiet cry echoed into the room. Rikku glanced at the door and then swiftly exited the room to comfort our daughter.

I stared after her for a moment, before sinking down into the rocking chair and staring out at the rain.

* * *

When I went back into the living room, Rikku was curled in the corner of the couch, looking lovingly down at Telan as she drank her bottle. I stood in the doorway for a while before walking out and sitting opposite them.

She didn't acknowledge me as I sat down. She just kept looking at Telan. I remembered the first time she'd held her, in Luca. She'd been just as transfixed, then. I realized that Rikku must have missed her, just as much as I'd missed her while she was gone.

"Rikku? You can stay in my room, okay? There's a crib in there, too. I don't like to leave her by herself in her room at night, so…"

She blinked up at me, her green eyes impassive. "No… that's alright. I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, really, take my room. I don't mind sleeping out here."

Returning her gaze to Telan, she shook her head. "I'll sleep on the couch, alright?"

_She always was stubborn…_ I nodded and walked back down the hall, grabbing (with some difficulty, due to my wrist) a bundle of warm and heavy blankets. I dropped them onto the arm chair near the couch, and kneeled in front of Rikku and Telan.

I let my good hand rest on her knee, and she glanced up at me, startled. "Yeah?" she asked, her muscles tense.

I looked up at her, staring into her eyes, which held guilt and pain within their depths. I knew my own held the same. She relaxed after a few seconds, and reached down slowly. As her fingertips brushed my cheek, I shivered. I'd been longing for her gentle touch since I'd been reintroduced to it in Luca. Even in my current state of anger, I longed for it. I felt the rough cloth of my eye patch slip off my face, and I blinked furiously at the sting of the unexpected light.

"Don't wear it unless you're working, okay? It's bad for you." Her voice was gentle, despite the small bit of frustration I heard in it. I nodded as she hastily removed her fingertips from where they'd been resting near my hairline and looked away.

"I'm sorry, Rikki…" I whispered softly, meeting her gaze once more.

She nodded softly and held the gaze steady. "I'm sorry, too."

I lightly kissed Telan's forehead and straightened, tossing the forgotten eye patch onto the bare coffee table. "I'll see you in the morning, then?" I asked tentatively.

"I'll be here." She was quiet, and I nodded and walked back down the hall to my bedroom. I tossed my shirt into the hamper and changed into a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and tossed my work pants into the hamper as well, before climbing into bed, exhausted.

* * *

Despite how tired I was, I couldn't sleep. Two hours after my head hit the pillow, I stopped tracing patterns on the ceiling and sat up, looking at the door. Quietly, I left my room and crept down the hallway, peering at the couch in the living room. It was empty. Alarmed, I looked down the hall at Telan's room. The door was ajar.

I stepped inside, quietly, and looked toward the crib. Telan was sleeping soundly inside, her little hand grasping the chocobo doll's leg. Rikku was curled up on the floor beside the crib, her hand outstretched to one of the crib's legs. She was sleeping deeply. I sighed and made my way into the room, checking on Telan before reaching down to pick up her mother.

She was just as light as I remembered, something I considered disturbing in a woman only one month out of pregnancy. I carefully draped her legs over my bad arm, taking care to make sure she didn't get near the splint. Her hair slightly covered her face as she unconsciously placed her head on my shoulder. I quietly walked her back to my room, and set her down in the center of the bed.

She immediately rolled onto her side and pulled a pillow under her head. I smiled softly at her unconscious actions, and I sat next to her as she began to breathe more steadily. Brushing her hair away from her face, I gave her a small, gentle kiss on the forehead and covered her up. "'Night, Cid's girl…"

With that, I left the room, leaving the door ajar as I walked back to the baby's room to gather up the spare blankets and return to the couch.

* * *

_Done, finally! Yes, my once a week deal is going to hold true, and will most likely take place on weekends. Thanks so much for all the reviews. I love this chapter, I hope you guys will, too. Thanks to **FairyIce**, who read this thing incessantly. See you soon!_

_Please Review!_


	13. Djose

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 13: Djose_**

* * *

I woke in the morning, finding myself in an unfamiliar bedroom. The bed, I knew… for a moment, I was confused as to why it was in this place, instead of its normal place beneath the tiny window that looked out over the main courtyard of the temple. And then I realized that I was now in Gippal's house.

In Gippal's bed? Hadn't I gone to sleep next to Telan's crib? How in the hell had I gotten here? And where was Gippal, anyway?

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, smiling softly as I remembered that it had always been a little taller than would allow my feet to touch the ground. I slid off it and glanced at the plain crib that sat on the opposite wall as I made my way to the bathroom. When my glance slid to the mirror, I made a face. My hair was everywhere, and I looked horrible. I cautiously walked down the hall, peering into the living room. No one was there, but blankets remained sprawled on the couch. I returned to Telan's room and walked over to the crib. All that was inside was a note.

_At the temple. Took baby with me. Office is open._

_-Gippal_

With a sigh, I located the towels and took a quick shower, relaxing for the first time since I'd arrived under the hot water. When I opened my bags to look for clothing, I smiled when I saw my old work clothes folded carefully near the bottom. I was tempted to put them on, but instead, I opted for a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, and left the familiar pair of faded overalls tucked at the bottom of the travel bag.

There was a light mist floating in the air once I got outside. I made my way toward the temple slowly, basking in the cool temperatures that I associated with this place, in the feelings that I associated with this place… basking in this place. I'd only realized when I'd left it just how much I loved Djose. I loved it as much as I loved Besaid, my home away from home. Maybe more.

I entered the temple, the familiar echoes of machinery and Al Bhed shouting filling my ears. I walked past the workrooms, my fingers itching to hold a wrench as I watched the other mechanics at work. And then I saw a sight that made my heart melt.

Gippal was kneeling next to a teenager, just a few years younger than the two of us (as strange as that seemed), showing him the angles that would be best for part installations. Telan was wide awake on his shoulder, gumming at her little fingers as she looked on with wide, curious eyes.

I walked inside the room, attracting strange looks from a few of the trainees. I'd helped out with the training, once. It was strange to see that those I'd been working with only eight months before were now helping to train, as well.

"Wait… where would the electrical wire go? Wouldn't it have to go across the left?" asked Gippal's trainee, obviously frustrated.

Gippal only sighed and chuckled lightly. "Y'know, this would be a lot easier to show you with two hands…"

I finished crossing over to them and tapped Gippal lightly on the shoulder. He looked up, his eyes darkening a bit. "Yeah? I'm kinda busy."

"Gimme Telan… then you can show this kid how to do it the right way." I kneeled next to him and reached out to pick her up. He helped to ease her onto my shoulder. I smiled as she cooed softly and grabbed a fistful of my hair, before returning to the process of eating her fingers.

Gippal had already launched into a full blown explanation, expertly avoiding sharp bits of metal as he wove his hands in and out of the machine, pointing at certain points and wires. "Got that? Then you take this red connecting cable here, and fuse it to the blue one. That'll make the ignition spark go off, which makes the whole damned thing turn on."

The trainee nodded and started to go to work. I grinned and shook my head at Gippal. "Red to green."

His brows furrowed as he looked over the machine. "What are you talking about?"

"If he fuses blue and red nothing will work. Green is the transfer wire color, and blue only leads to the technology and all that. So pretty much, you'll start up the program, but not the stuff that actually makes that little ditty work." Gippal only stared at me with an unreadable expression on his face. I rocked Telan back and forth, kissing her lightly on the forehead. The trainee glanced back and forth from me to Gippal. I nodded to him. "It's red to green, trust me."

He waited for Gippal's confirmation, however. Gippal reluctantly gave in. "She's right, red to green. Sorry about that." I strolled away, walking quickly down the halls to his office, Telan tugging at my hair all the way.

I took a seat on the couch and readjusted Telan so that her little body rested atop mine, her head still on my shoulder. Her hand was still in her mouth, and I grinned at her, pulling it out. I didn't mind as I wiped off her drooled on fingers on my sweatshirt. "Why're you trying to eat your hand, hm?"

I looked into her wide and curious eyes with a smile on my face. She cooed and kicked her legs out excitedly, her newly non-sticky hand waving about. I laughed and kissed her forehead, noticing that the remnants of the bruises from when she'd been born were finally fading. "Can I talk for a minute, baby? And will you listen?" She made a cute sound and grabbed my hair, so I took it to mean 'yes'. I giggled at her, suddenly ecstatic to have her in my arms… I didn't hear the door opening slightly.

"Mama messed up. Mama messed up really bad. I left your daddy a long time ago… I thought it would be better for him, you know? I thought I was doing something good, even if I was miserable. And then I left him again, and again. I didn't give him the chance when I saw the bad stuff, you know, I just… I just left. And I left you, too. You guys didn't deserve that, not at all. I love you, baby, and I know you know I love Daddy, too… It's just hard right now. But I'm going to try, okay? I'm going to try my hardest to work things out. I love you, so much. And I finally realized that this place, here, with you, with Daddy, is where I need to stay. Where I want to stay." I smiled softly as she calmed down and gazed at me intently. "Am I forgiven? Just a little?"

She began to thrash about again, and I laughed. "Thank you… and I promise I'll never, ever freak out on you when you cry again. Mama's okay with that now."

* * *

I stepped away from the slightly open doorway that led to my secluded office. Careful to take quiet footsteps, I left Rikku and Telan alone. They needed time. And I did, too.

What Rikku had just said had made me angry, joyous, confused, and a little bit guilty all at once, though I didn't know why. Okay, maybe I understood why I was confused. It made no Yevon-blessed sense! Swiftly, I walked down the stairs and strode through the main hall, grabbing my coat on the way out. The rain was falling harder once again, the light mist gone. I strode across the yard and over the bridges quickly, shivering despite my jacket. I cursed at the cold… strange that I loved it at the same time.

It took me a long time to find the place I was looking for in the rain. At first, I wasn't even sure I could make it down. But, I found the familiar footholds and made my way to the thin stretch of beach that wasn't being pounded upon by the churning ocean. I barely noticed when my feet met the first stair, when I entered the dark passage that led up to the secret room. The blankets I'd brought in long ago were still there, tucked in the corner for times like these, when I needed to think, to protect myself from the cold. I sat down near the stack and pulled one over me, setting my jacket aside to dry out as much as possible.

She loved me. She'd said it. She said she loved me. She. Loves. Me. But what in the Farplane did that mean? What did it _mean_! It had come from Rikku's own mouth, and in a way, it was all I wanted to hear… but in a way it was part of the problem. Did it mean anything, coming from her?

Of course it did! She wouldn't say something like that if she didn't mean it. But… actually, she would. She'd proven that. So… did it mean anything? Probably not. But it had to mean _something_! Didn't it? It had to… she'd said that she'd been miserable, after all. It had to mean something. But… it didn't. Did it?

I ran a hand through my hair, ignoring the slight nervous shake. "I need a cup of coffee or something. Okay, Gippal, just calm down, try to figure this out… you're missing something… what is it? What is it…"

She thought it would be better for me. That she was doing something good. But what was better for me, what was good? I didn't see it. How could leaving me, ever be doing me good? How could keeping my child a secret from me, be doing me good?

I sat, wrapped in a blanket in the cold and lonely old Chamber of the Guardian, confused and lost in thought.

* * *

During the next break in the rain, I managed to get Telan back to the house. I noticed, as I entered the door for the first time in the daylight hours, that it looked as if Gippal had just moved in to the place. Brother had told me that he'd moved in awhile back… but if that was true, why were the walls so bare? Why did everything have that new smell? I remembered his old room, in the temple. It had had that distinct "this is Gippal's room" smell, the tinge of oil and cologne. This place had none of that.

With a sigh, I placed my dozing daughter into the little bouncy seat that sat in the corner with a few toys. The couch was covered with heavy blankets, Gippal's favorites, to be exact. I made my way over to them and began to fold them up, setting them aside on the armchair. I quickly made the trip down the hall to his room to make the bed, stowing my bags near the closet as I did so.

I listened for a moment as the rain began to pound the roof once again. Telan's little cries echoed down the hall, and I went to her without pretense, picking her up and holding her tightly. For once, I didn't tell her to 'ssh', I just rocked her back and forth, rubbing her back as I made slow circuits around the coffee table.

When she was calm and dozing once again, I grabbed one of the blankets and lay back on the couch with my baby, covering the both of us up. I watched her sleep, content for the first time in days. The only thing that would make this better was if she was resting in my arms while I was resting in Gippal's.

* * *

With a huge stack of contracts and the like in my arms, I left the temple along with the rest of the workers. We always left early on Friday, and I was always the only one with things left to do over the weekend. I already had stacks of back work sitting on my desk at home, waiting to be signed. I hadn't had the time to get to them.

My head was pounding from all the thinking I'd been doing that day. I was completely confused about Rikku's logic. That confusion, combined with all the noise inside the workrooms of the temple, had given me a migraine from hell.

"See you Monday, Gippal!" I looked toward the voice and nodded, not really paying attention to who it was. Others called out, and I just nodded or waved awkwardly around the stack of paper. I finally lost the crowd when I took the opposite walkway towards the houses, along with only the major departmental heads. They're heads were most likely pounding just as hard as mine was, so talk was minimal.

I walked inside the open gate to my yard, kicking it shut. Opening the door with so many papers was a feat to be accomplished, but after about three minutes of struggling, I managed to get it open. Once inside, I closed the door quietly and walked through the entryway toward the little office.

Rikku was lying on the couch in the living room, her eyes drooping as she fingered combed Telan's white blonde hair. The little girl was fast asleep on her chest. Rikku looked up at me as I passed. I tried not to let the scene make me feel a little better. I was still mad at her, after all. And frustrated. And in pain because of the headache she'd caused.

Inside the office, I dropped the most recent stack next to the other four, turned on the little desk lamp, and dropped into my chair. My arm was aching too, though yesterday's splint was now only a wraparound brace. After I'd returned to the temple, I'd gone to the Faction doctor (as planned) to receive my first bone healing treatment. The process was taken slower now, after Sin. Potion therapy had once been quick in all manners, not allowing for complete and solid healing. Now, in terms of medicine, the doctors insisted that it be slower. Those who still roamed Spira used the old style potions that healed instantly. Before Rikku had left, I'd once taken a peek at her supply bag. All she had was the old fashioned kind. My brace would stay on for another three to four days, while the bone continued to strengthen and return to normal.

A pen in hand, I began to go through the oldest stack of papers, leaving a messy signature on the appropriate lines. Not long after I started, a soft knock interrupted me. I looked toward the doorway. Rikku stood there, Telan in her arms. I went back to my paperwork. "Yeah?"

"…how was work?"

"It was work."

She nodded, slightly deflated. "Why'd you bring so much stuff home?"

"Haven't had time to do it. Had to take care of Telan… which I don't mind. But… I have to get this done." I quieted and went back to signing, and after a few minutes, I heard her leave the room. I concentrated on the signatures.

Twenty-five signatures later, I started as Rikku entered the room, one of the kitchen chairs in her hands. I stared at her as she pulled the chair up next to mine, adjusting it until she sat a comfortable angle in front of the desk. She held out a hand expectantly while she searched a desk drawer for a pen.

"What?" I snapped, my head pounding.

She paused for a moment, and then overlooked my tone. "Give me one or two of those stacks."

"Why?"

"I don't have any work of my own to do, Telan is down for the next few hours, at least, and you're behind in the paperwork. So give me a stack and a damned pen and I'll help you."

This had to be a scheme to get me to talk about things. I didn't want to talk about things. I was angry today, and that's all I cared about. Once I stopped being angry, then we could talk. But not now. "I'm not in the mood to chat, Cid's girl. Supposedly, there's a big blitz tournament on the sphere networks. Why don't you go watch it?" I didn't really care that I sounded so snippy. I glanced at her, feeling a little guilty when I saw the look in her eyes. But only a little.

Instead of taking the suggestion, she continued her search for a pen, finally finding one lost among the paperwork. Then, she selected a stack that was much heftier than mine and moved it into her lap. After a quick and silent glance at my messy signature, she began to mimic it on the paperwork. I shook my head and continued to sign. But I wasn't left unaffected by the determination in her eyes.

* * *

I'd finished two large stacks by the end of the hour. Gippal had finished two little ones. I'd stayed absolutely silent for the last hour, but when I noticed him wincing at the light, attempting to shield his eyes with his bad arm, I couldn't really handle it any longer.

"Gippal?" I asked quietly, setting down my pen.

He glanced over at me distractedly. He didn't even bother to try and snap at me. "What?"

"You should take a break if your head hurts that bad."

He held my gaze for a few moments before he turned back to the paperwork. "I can't, I need to get all this done."

"You've got all weekend. We got about half done, already… take a break. It's only going to take longer if you make your head hurt even worse."

He nodded moodily and dropped his pen on the desk. With his good hand, he began to rub his temples. I hesitated, uncertain about how he would react, before reaching over and moving his hand out of the way. He jumped and leaned back in the chair, away from me.

"Don't touch me, Rikku…"

That hurt, but I knew he had every right to say it. I'd said the same thing, after all. "I'm sorry… I just wanted to help…"

He didn't say anything, staring at the floor. I waited for him to answer, but when it was apparent that he wasn't going to, I stood and left the room. I crossed the now dark living room and entered the kitchen.

I rummaged through the cupboards, sighing when I could only find cans of soup and some bread. It would have to do. I hastily turned on the stove to heat up some soup, and buttered a few slices of bread. I hated cooking, but at least I knew how. Lulu had made me learn during the pilgrimage, and during my time in Besaid. I would have made something a bit better than canned soup and bread had more food been in the house, but hopefully the gesture would be enough.

A bottle of pills sat in the center of the counter. I picked it up and looked at the label. Painkillers, prescribed by the Faction doctor to Gippal. I took one from the bottle and poured out a glass of water before picking all of it up and leaving the kitchen.

Gippal was lying on the couch now, curled up on it in the dark room. I sighed heavily. I carefully set the plate down on the coffee table, not wanting to make too much noise. He opened his eyes and looked up at me calmly.

I knelt next to him and held out my hand and the glass of water. "These were on the counter… they're for your arm, I'm sure, but it might help your headache. The doctor gave me some when I left the hospital. They're feel good happy pills. I'm jealous." With a forced grin, I waited as he sat up and took the glass and pill from my hands.

"Thanks…" he whispered, popping the pill into his mouth and drinking, swallowing it with a grimace. "They taste nasty."

"Yeah, but they work well."

He blinked at me as he set the glass down on the table. "Feel good happy pills, huh?"

I nodded. "Yeah." Hesitantly, I pointed at the soup. "I made you something to eat, too, if you want it… I wanted to make something better than soup, but… there wasn't much else…"

Appreciation filled his expression. "Soup's great... thank you. You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "You always take care of me when I need taking care of. Can't I take care of you when you need it?"

He grinned and nodded. "I guess so." He pointed at the soup as he leaned forward to pick it up. "Aren't you going to eat?" His voice was soft, with no trace of his earlier snappiness. It had to be the headache.

I shook my head and stood up, walking toward the office. "I'm not hungry. I had a sandwich for lunch, so… I'm okay for now. I'm going to go sign some more of those papers, alright?" He nodded, and I went back to the office.

* * *

I heard Telan crying, and, thankful that the pounding in my head had receded with the medicine and my short nap after dinner, I stood up and slowly made my way down the hallway, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

When I reached her room, I went straight to the crib. She was only whining for attention, and I grinned tiredly at her. "Oh shush, missy…" I plucked her from the crib and took her back to the front room with me. Rikku was standing in the doorway of the office. "She's just whining…"

"Yeah… thanks for getting her." I nodded and took my seat on the couch once again. "How's your head?" she asked.

"A lot better."

She smiled. "Good… I got some more of those papers done."

"Thanks… I appreciate it."

"You're welcome."

I hated being so formal with her. But what else was I supposed to do? "Could you take her for a few minutes? She probably wants a bottle…"

"I'll get it!" Rikku said, grinning. "Just relax." And with that, she disappeared into the kitchen. I stared at the door of the kitchen for a few seconds before leaning back on the couch, curling up with Telan. I'd gotten used to sitting here with her during the days we'd been alone. It was comfortable… it would be better if I could only let go and tell Rikku to curl up with us.

At times I envied those normal couples, the ones who hadn't had to work through comas and ongoing problems… the ones who could come home and just be a family. I lost my parents when I was young, of course, and I had few memories of what family actually was, but I knew what it was supposed to be. And it wasn't like this. I was comfortable, sitting here with my daughter, and I felt guilty, wanting more. Wanting Rikku.

I chuckled to myself as I rubbed my thumb over Telan's hand. "I'm insane, angel… absolutely insane. She's here, finally… right in reach. And I can't stop being angry. I want to. I want everything to go back to how it was a long time ago, you know? Well… not all the way. I want you around. But I want to come home from work, like I used to, and have your mama walk in, wearing those mucky old overalls that she loves… and I want to see her face light up, and I want to feel my heart speed up… I don't know, baby girl. I always used to enjoy chaos. I don't want chaos right now, though, I just want you and Rikku."

My whispers quieted as soon as the kitchen door opened. Rikku shook the small bottle that was in her hand, reaching out for Telan. "Let me have her so she can eat."

"No… that's okay, let me." I held out a hand. Rikku contemplated for a moment, but then handed me the bottle. Both of us took a sharp breath as our hands met, for that split second. Our eyes locked for a long while, and neither of us moved.

A knock sounded on the door, and she turned away quickly, her cheeks flushed. I looked down at Telan, who was waiting patiently to be fed.

Rikku came back from the entryway a few moments later. "Brother needs me to come and help out with something on the Celsius… is it alright if I disappear for a little while?"

I frowned. "Not when you phrase it like that."

She blushed again. "I didn't mean it like that… I mean… I'm going to go and help him. I'll be back in fifteen minutes? Eh-heh?"

I grinned and shrugged. "Yeah, I know… go ahead. I'm just going to feed her, okay?"

She nodded and vanished down the hallway, returning a few seconds later with her coat. After she kissed Telan on the forehead, she made her way toward the door. "I'll be back!"

I smiled and offered Telan her bottle as the door closed.

* * *

I sat on the floor of the main room in the Celsius, holding tools for Brother as he attempted to fix one of Shinra's old fuse boxes. "You know, you would have done better with this had you told Gippal to come and help. I'm no good with Shinra's stuff. He only ever explained the CommSphere wiring to me. I have no idea how he rigged the computers."

"Then Gippal wouldn't know, either."

"He figured out the CommSpheres without any help, I'm sure he could figure this out, too." Brother held his hand out with a grunt, and I handed him a wirecutter. "Try getting rid of those old nasty ones and replacing them with new ones."

"If that's all it takes I will be angry. I've spent too much time this afternoon trying to fix the damn network."

"Try it. I bet it works."

And so, Brother searched in the supply kit for some copper wire while I stood lazily near the stairwell. I looked out over the ocean, which was raging in the winds. "Why do you need to fix this so badly?"

"I've had a few transmission from Bevelle and the Thunder Plains today that were unclear. I called Shinra to ask him what to do with it, and he told me to check the wiring. Nothing else! Little ungrateful wretch…" Brother mumbled, fumbling to put the wires in place.

As soon as they were steady, the fuzzy overhead screen went clear once more, showing a clear map of Spira, all the major cities marked. "Told ya."

"It worked?" he asked, disbelievingly. I nodded… then, he stormed off around the bridge, up the stairs, and into the hallway. I heard the elevator start up and go down, and I laughed. With a sigh, I closed up the floor panel that we'd removed and put the tools away, storing the kit back underneath Shinra's old seat.

The call light began to go off on the panel. I looked up on the screen. Indeed, as Brother had stated, it was coming from Bevelle. I sighed, wondering what urgent delivery he'd forgotten to pick up, before pressing the receiver button.

Baralai popped into view as soon as I'd pressed it. My eyes widened at first, but then he smiled, and I smiled back. "I've been looking for you all day," he stated, quiet.

"Why?" I asked, uncertain. I'd told him I was coming back, to fix things, to be where I belonged… why was he calling?

"I just wanted to make sure that you arrived safely. I heard that the weather over there has been horrible these last few days." Baralai smiled and settled himself in front of the CommSphere. I could see various people wandering around in the background. He was obviously still in his office. It was strange to see the sunset when it was already so dark here in Djose due to the cloud cover.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine. I got here yesterday. I should have left you a message so you didn't worry."

* * *

More than half an hour had passed, and I was starting to get worried. Had she left with Brother? Or was the fixing taking longer than planned? As I walked onto the airship, Telan bundled up in my arms, I heard her voice echoing softly down the ramp.

"…a message so you didn't worry."

Another familiar voiced answered hers. A voice I wasn't happy to hear. "I shouldn't be worrying. But I couldn't help it. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. But yes… I'm fine, I got here okay… the weather is kind of bad, but I like it. I missed it."

I stepped onto the bridge and stared up at the screen. Rikku sat in the chair in front of it, leaning back so that she could see Baralai's face. Baralai spotted me over the CommSphere as I walked down the stairs, quietly. "Rikku…"

"… Baralai? Something wrong?"

I stepped up next to her and nodded. "Yeah, something's wrong."

Baralai looked uncertain about what to do or say. That made me happy. I was angry, too, no doubt. But pleased with his uncertainty. "Gippal… wait!" But I didn't. I'd already reached over and broken the sphere connection. The screen went blank. Rikku was staring at me with wide eyes, frozen.

"I thought you were helping Brother with something." My voice was slightly cold again, as I tried to keep my anger and hurt out of it.

"I… I was. He needed to fix the CommSphere network, the wires were old…" Rikku was quiet as she stood. "I didn't know Baralai was going to call."

"You sounded happy enough to talk to him."

"I wasn't planning on talking to him. He was worried about if I got here alright…"

I nodded, shortly, averting my gaze. "Worried. Okay." I turned around and walked back the way I had come, down the ramp and into the courtyard, quickly walking back to the house. She followed me all the way.

"Gippal! Stop!" she called as we reached the front yard. I didn't. I wanted to get Telan inside and in her crib. My headache was coming back, and I didn't want to scare her if I got a little loud. I kicked off my shoes in the entryway and quickly walked down the hall to my bedroom, placing her in the crib there. I didn't want her to sleep alone in her room again tonight.

When I returned to the living room, Rikku was waiting. "He was worried, so he called, and I didn't know he was going to. I wouldn't have answered if I knew it was him!"

"Yes, you would've."

"No! I know how bad I hurt you already! Why would I want to do that again?" I just looked at her coolly, massaging my temple with my good hand. "He was only making sure I got here without any problems, Gippal."

I shook my head. "You don't get it, Rikku, he had no right doing that. He has no right to worry about you!"

An indignant look upon her face, Rikku put her hands on her hips. "Why can't he? Who ever said no one was allowed to worry about me but you?"

I sighed heavily and stared at her in an angered exasperation. "Rikku… he didn't sit by your side, scared to death that you were going to be gone forever for a week and a half. He didn't have to endure you leaving him without any notice or explanation. He didn't have to wonder about if you were okay, or if you were hurt. He didn't have to watch you fight death in that hospital, okay? I did. I was worried sick about you for months." Until then, my voice had been soft, tender. But now, my anger began to get the best of me, and my tone began to grow in volume. "I still am. And he… he had sex with you! He's my best friend, and he knows how I feel about you, and he still did it! I was worried while you were in Bevelle, Rikku. I was worrying about you while he was betraying our friendship, while he was crossing the line with you. So in my eyes, he doesn't have any right to be worried. That's _my_ job. It's all I do, and I've pretty much been replaced in every other area. I won't let him take over my worrying, too."

My voice echoed throughout the hall, silence following. Rikku stared up at me, her big green eyes full of unshed tears. I stared back. Finally she shook her head, taking a few steps toward me to close the difference between us. I flinched as she grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly. "He hasn't replaced you at all. No one could ever, _ever_ do that."

And without further pretense, she'd closed the distance between us, and her lips were on mine, her hands in my hair, her body pressing against my own. I was stunned as she pulled away, swiftly, blushing, apologizing stupidly for her actions. She began to walk away, but I reached for her hand.

"Thank you…" I whispered, knowing I probably sounded pathetic… not caring. And then, I pulled her close once more, buried my good hand in her mass of hair, and pulled her back to me. I bent down so that she wouldn't have to stand on tiptoe, aware of everything and nothing. I felt my heartbeat quicken as our lips and breath mingled, as her own arms snaked back around my neck. And suddenly… I wasn't angry, anymore.

* * *

_That's that, for this chapter. I didn't get my homework done for this, you all had better be happy. Thanks **FairyIce**! Thanks for all the reviews, reviewers! _

_Please Review!_


	14. Awkward

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 14: Awkward_**

* * *

Awkward could not completely describe how I felt. Because, really, the word 'awkward' does not imply that there are any accompanying feelings along with the main one of … well, awkwardness. It doesn't include the anticipation, or uncertainty, or even that strangely excited but tentative butterfly in the stomach, but only that feeling of _feeling_ awkward. And since I was feeling the anticipation, uncertainty, and that strangely excited but tentative butterfly in the stomach along with the awkward… no words to describe, it. Not one.

I stared up into his eyes as I pulled away, unsure of whether I should leave my arms around his neck, or if I should let go and allow him to straighten to his full height, or if I should pull him back, or if I should push him away. He was staring back at me, his hand hovering just above my hair, as if he wanted to pull it away… or put it right back where it had been moments before. I'd almost forgotten how breathless his kisses made me. Of course, he had kissed me in the hospital when I woke up and held our daughter for the first time, but it was a different kind of kiss. I'd been breathless, then, too, but… I was dizzy, now.

What had possessed me to grab him like that, to push myself into his arms and kiss him? Those few words about him being replaced by Baralai, I think. Gippal and Baralai were two different people. Gippal was the one that I'd chosen, long ago. And there was no way that he would ever be replaceable. It wasn't possible.

Finally, after long minutes of staring at one another, I felt his fingers brush through the loose hair at the nape of my neck, so gentle. I closed my eyes and leaned into his caress, unconsciously letting my arms slip from their place around his neck down to his chest. He sighed lightly as he ran his fingers through my hair. I loved his sighs.

He was quivering in my arms. I remembered how he'd shaken when he was crying, as I held him weakly back in Luca. This was much the same, but this time I didn't see any tears.

"Rikku…" he whispered softly, almost inaudibly. I met his eyes, which were shockingly filled with uncertainty. I hadn't seen that much uncertainty since the night we'd first made love, and my heart melted.

I trailed my thumb softly over his cheek, staring up at him. "You're shaking," I whispered, quiet as he was. He nodded incoherently and wandered to the couch, sitting heavily and staring off. I was cold without his warmth.

I'd been cold for a long time.

I watched him from where I stood, as he curled up in the corner of the couch. He stared up at me and shook his head. "I can't play games anymore, Rikki. I can't." His voice cracked, sounded so defeated and broken. I quickly sat next to him and took his hands, my heart aching in my chest.

"I know, Gippal… I know." Gently, tenderly, I squeezed his hands. His eyes were downcast, more defeated than his voice had been. My heart began to ache even worse.

Gippal looked up at me, that same uncertainty filling his gaze once more. I looked back at him, mirroring the feeling. All was quiet, save for the wind and rain outside, the occasional rumble of thunder. He pulled me closer, and I went without protest, letting my arms wrap about his torso as he rested his head on my shoulder. His fingers ran through my hair once more, and I closed my eyes, concentrating on nothing but the sound of the rain and… him.

* * *

I opened the door to the final workroom on the ground floor, and met a strange sight. Rikku sat on the floor, surrounded by shards of glass, soldering irons, bits of metal, glue, and Telan's little carry seat. I stood there silently, making sure not to alert her to my presence.

She carefully selected a piece of metal from the floor and set it onto another piece on the ground in front of her. With the red hot soldering iron in her hand, she carefully melted the metal, quickly sticking the two pieces together. She held them steadily with one hand as she tried to smooth out the conjoined pieces. I glanced at Telan, who was fast asleep in the little carry seat, and then at the clock in the corner of the room. It was getting late… I was glad that Rikku hadn't lost that endearing habit of losing track of time.

Quietly, I knocked on the door. Rikku jumped, dropping the iron dangerously near her foot. "Hey… it's time to leave… you done in here?"

She quickly began to gather her things. She carefully scooped the metal pieces and glass into separate containers. "Just about." She got to her feet, the glue and soldering irons in her hand, and walked around the room, putting them in their proper places. I knelt next to where she'd been working, picking up the now repaired little square of metal. I recognized it, and the picture of the two of us that sat near Telan's carry seat.

"What're you doing with this?" I asked her, looking up at her as she finished putting things away. She blushed as she saw that I was holding the picture frame.

"Well… it was broken. And I hated seeing it that way." She was quiet as she picked up the picture and handed it to me. "So I'm trying to fix it. I don't know if I can get it to look like new, but… I'm working on it."

I regarded that old picture of us, laughing together. And then I offered her both the picture and the frame. "I think it'll look great even if it doesn't look like new." She gave me a little half-grin. I smiled back. "Can I help with it? I know how to glue glass back together…"

She laughed. "I think we can get some new glass."

"Okay, well… I can do that."

"…that'd be nice."

* * *

I tossed my hair into a messy bun as I made my way towards the bathroom, basking in the quiet. The sound of the torrential rain on the roof was calming for me. The last two days had been hell. Telan had somehow come across her first bout with the flu, and what with all the visits to the Faction doctor, staying up late to keep her comfortable, and making sure the entire house was disinfected so that my baby wouldn't catch something else while she was weak, I was exhausted.

Distractedly, I walked into Gippal's room and opened the door to the bathroom, thinking about all the things I needed to do before the baby woke up. I barely noticed the hot steam as it hit my skin, but when I looked up, I couldn't help but notice something else.

There was Gippal, in the shower… Gippal, in the shower, wearing nothing… Gippal, in the shower, wearing nothing, his eyes closed as he let the hot water run over his well toned body. Soapy water ran over his torso as he lathered his shoulders, as the steady stream from the shower head washed the soap away, down his chest and abdomen…

My eyes traveled up and down his body, and as he turned toward me, I gasped (a horrendously loud gasp) and slapped my hands over my eyes. "Gippal! I'm so sorry… cunno, cunno!"

Tentatively, I peeked through my fingers, feeling less ashamed as my eyes wandered freely. He looked at me in confusion through the glass shower door before I saw that familiar smirk of his begin to appear on his face. "Hey there!" His voice echoed through the bathroom, and I blushed heavily. "All you had to do was ask if you wanted to join in!"

I squealed embarrassedly and shook my head. "No, accident! It was an accident! Cunno! Um… leaving… leaving now!" I walked backwards, in an effort to keep my eyes 'covered', and hit the wall. "Oof… oh, poopie!" I left the bathroom and closed the door swiftly behind me, listening as his laughing chased after me from behind the door. I leaned against the doorway, staring at the opposite wall. For a moment, my eyes were wide and my cheeks were burning. But then a little half grin made its way onto my face as I made my way to the main bathroom at the other end of the house, shaking my head and smiling all the way.

* * *

I leaned against the back of the couch, Telan's head on my shoulder. She was miserable; I was starting to feel that way, too. I didn't know how to make her feel as comfortable as possible while she was sick, but I was doing what I could. Tonight had been the worst so far, and finally, after she'd been crying and whimpering for the past few hours, she'd drifted off into an exhausted sleep. I hoped she would beat this flu soon.

It had finally hit me that she was a month premature when the doctor at the temple had stated that she was just about the size of an average newborn. Nearly a month and a half old, and only now was she the size of a full term baby. She had the predisposition to be tiny, of course, but… she was smaller than she should be, even so. While I was accustomed to it, unused to anything else, it kind of made me nervous. Her immune system was weak. She was trying so hard to beat it. I didn't want to let her too warm little body out of my arms for even thirty seconds.

I wanted to do more for her, to make her feel better, but I was doing everything I could. For once, I was being the mother I needed and wanted to be, and still, I felt horrible. I also felt guilty for feeling so tired. I had no right to be tired when my baby was sick.

Gippal emerged from the hallway, dressed in one of his adorable pairs of flannel pajama pants and a baggy sweatshirt. He had his usual stack of blankets and pillows in his arms, and his hair was messy, still slightly damp from his shower. A flash of earlier that evening flew through my mind, but I pushed the wonderful thoughts of a wet, steamy, and quite naked Gippal from my mind. With a tired smile, I sat up, careful to keep my jostling of the baby to a minimum. "Gimme a second, I'll get out of the way. I forgot you'd be coming out here… I finally got her to sleep. At least she's kinda comfy?"

Gippal shook his head and pointed at the couch. "Don't get up. Let her sleep."

I glanced from the couch to him. "But you have to sleep for work…"

He grinned softly at me and sat next to me, dropping the blankets on the floor. "No… I'm gonna stay home tomorrow. And you're going to take a rest. You've been taking wonderful care of her for the past few days, it's about time you got some sleep." He held out his hands, reaching for Telan.

I ran my hand over her back. "No, I've got her. I'm not tired." As soon as I said that, of course, a huge yawn left my lips. He only grinned at me and gently plucked the baby from my arms, settling her on his shoulder.

I was quiet as I watched him reach for a blanket. He tossed it over the two of them without any trouble, lying on the wide couch, getting comfortable. With a sigh, he looked up at me, smiling as he saw my eyes on them. With a small chuckle, he held up the blanket and scooted further into the couch to make room for me. "Come on… we'll all keep warm together."

I hesitated before crawling under the blankets, immediately on edge being so close to him. Gippal didn't seem to have much of my anxiety. He let his arm wrap around my waist as I made myself comfortable, his warm skin brushing against my own. I turned to face him, watching Telan's little sleeping face rise and fall with his breathing.

"Poor baby…" I whispered, running my index finger over her cheek.

"She'll be okay, Rikki. She's a trooper. Fights, just like her Mama." Gippal's voice was calming, gentle. I grinned up at him.

"Do you mean that in a 'that's a great trait' or 'what a pain in the ass' sort of way?"

"Great trait." He ran his fingers through the white blonde hair atop Telan's head, chuckling a bit. "That rhymes."

I snorted into his chest and barely managed to contain my laughter. "Only you, Gippal… only you…"

"And only you, Rikku, could be amused by that."

"… sad, isn't it?"

It was weird for me, the two of us lying there together, joking together. I liked it… I'd missed it. But it was strange. After all the time and consequences… some things could never change.

"Not sad. Just predictable."

"Hey!"

He just smiled. "It's okay, Cid's girl."

Both of us quieted as Telan yawned and whimpered, moving about for a moment on Gippal's chest. She settled quickly, grabbing a fistful of his sweat shirt, squeezing it tightly in her tiny hand. He gently ran a hand over her back, and she relaxed even further. And suddenly, as she relaxed in his grip, I could as well.

The two of us watched her sleep for quite awhile before speaking. Gippal glanced at me, still rubbing her little back as she slept. "Can you believe that we made her?"

It was a strange question to hear, especially from him. I smiled and smoothed her hair back. "Not really. It's a little bit unreal, isn't it?"

"More than a little…" he said, glancing back between her face and mine. "She has your nose and your lips and your face." He grinned.

I smiled as well. "And your eyes and hair and cheeks. Cute little cheeks." He sighed and tickled my waist, making me squirm a little.

"Those are sexy cheeks, on me."

"… no, they're cute. Just cute." He sighed, feigning offense, and I grinned. We quieted again. I blushed a little to myself as that flash of earlier ran through my head once more. But I decided to go for it. "You _were_ pretty sexy in the shower earlier, though."

He laughed triumphantly. "I knew you were peeking through your fingers!"

I blushed. "Shut up… I wasn't. Not really."

He just grinned at me. "Uh-huh."

"Sorry I walked in on you…"

"Didn't you hear the water running?"

"… I wasn't really paying attention. The rain was pounding so hard that it was all I could hear."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm serious!" I glared as he laughed. "Meanie…" He only laughed harder.

After a while, he'd calmed down. I felt his hesitation as he began to run his fingers through my hair. With a bit of courage, I let my head rest on his chest, close to Telan… close to him. He sighed and relaxed slightly.

"Rikku?" he asked quietly, uncertain.

"Yeah?"

"I… I like this." His voice sounded confident, but his body language told me quite the opposite.

I let my arm wrap around his waist, taking a deep breath. "I like this, too."

We didn't say anything else, perhaps from fear of exposing too much, or of not saying enough. He continued to run his fingers through my hair, occasionally caressing my shoulder, tenderly. I gently caressed his side in response, not sure of what else to do. In all our uncertainty, one thing was sure… we were both taking it slow. And it was nice.

The steady sound of the rain beating upon the shingles lulled me to sleep, completely comfortable for the first time in what seemed like forever in Gippal's arms, our daughter sleeping soundly beside me.

* * *

_I like this chapter. Heehee. Don't worry guys, it's not over yet! I would have told you, I promise! Someone mentioned a sequel in a review the other day… would that be old, if I made yet another sequel once this one winds down? Anyway… please leave feedback on the chapters, the writing, etc. It really helps! Sorry this one wasn't as long as the last one. I think I jam-packed just about the same amount of sweetness in, though! Thanks to all the reviewers, and to **FairyIce**__for all the wonderful suggestions and all the laughs!_

_Another side note… in my profile there is a link to an Al Bhed translator if you need it. I don't like to list the translations in the chapter, it breaks the feeling for me personally. So, if you need it, it's in my profile, and it works very well. It's what I use while writing if I don't already know the phrase. (I can read Al Bhed without the translator, but I can't write it yet. Still working on that…) In my profile, there is also a link to this grand story that I am editing for Haru No Yo called **A Generation of Aeons**. It's really, really good, and I think you guys might like it. If you're looking for a good read, check it out!_

_Please Review!_


	15. Patience

**_The Echo  
_**_**Chapter 15: Patience**_

* * *

I woke early the next morning to the sound of Telan's soft cooing. I looked down at her with a grin. She was looking at her mother, who was still asleep, her head resting on my chest, hair sprawled across her face. I gently reached down and felt the infant's forehead, brushing her shining blonde locks back. She was still too warm, but she seemed comfortable. She was talking in her own adorable baby language instead of crying, so I knew she had to be feeling a little better.

Rikku shifted slightly, and I looked down at her. Underneath the few wild strands of blonde hair, her skin was dull. Her eyes were slightly puffy, from lack of sleep, and she felt limp in my arms. Too close to her hospitalized condition for comfort, in my opinion. With a yawn, I turned back to Telan.

"Hey, angel…" I whispered. She looked up at me and kicked me softly in the stomach, happy to be spoken to. "Oof… why are you kickin' me, huh? That's not nice…" She cooed, and I grinned. Carefully, I eased myself out of Rikku's grasp and stood, baby in arm. I walked slowly down the hall, listening to the sound of the rain on the roof.

After I'd changed Telan's diaper, I returned to the living room. Without hesitation, I tapped Rikku on the shoulder.

She groaned as I continually prodded her. "S'too early…"

I smiled. "I'm going to take you back to the bedroom so you can rest, okay?"

She sighed heavily in response, and I shook my head as I picked her up off the couch and walked her down the hallway into my bedroom.

Gently, I lowered her onto the bed. She immediately wrapped her arms around a pillow, snuggling deep into it. I pulled the sheets, blankets, and comforter over her, up to her chin… just how she liked it. With a smile, I kissed her forehead softly, before I reluctantly left to get Telan her early morning bottle.

* * *

I woke up to loud cries of "Shit!" and the smell of something burning. For a moment, I simply lay back, staring at the ceiling in confusion. And then, when thoughts of Telan and Gippal ran through my head, I tossed off the blankets and scrambled onto the ground, running out of the room like a crazy person.

Telan sat in the living room in her bouncy seat. Her little face was scrunched up, probably because of the smell, and her eyes were wide. "Okay, baby's here… Gippal, where's Gippal?"

"Damnit! Shit! Stop… burning… OW!" _Kitchen_… I thought, before turning to run through the kitchen door. Instead of running through the doorway, however, I hit the wall in my mad rush. With a whine, I tossed myself through the door and stared at the scene in front of me.

Gippal stood there, in front of the stove, a pan with flaming contents blazing in front of him. He was cursing profusely at the stovetop as he tried to turn off the burner, plugging his nose with his free hand to block out the stench and smoke. Dizzy from my collision, I pointed randomly.

"What are you doing! Open the window! Turn on the sink!" Gippal whirled and stared at me for a split second before doing as I said. I bravely grabbed the pan's handle and shoved the flaming contents under the stream of the cold water from the faucet. Steam rose from the burning residue of what had once been food, and the pan hissed as it cooled rapidly. I coughed loudly, as did Gippal. The open kitchen window would help with the smoke. The two of us stared at each other for a long moment before I dropped the pan carelessly into the sink and strode over to him, lightly smacking him upside the head.

"What in the hell were you thinking? You could have killed us all!" I yelled loudly, waving my arms madly in the air. "You could have killed yourself, and me, and Telan, and then where would we be? DEAD! What were you thinking!"

He took a few steps back and stared at the stove. "Uh… well… once everything started burning, I kind of wasn't thinking?"

"Obviously!"

"But before that, I was-" he paused for a moment, scratching the back of his head nervously, "-well… I was making you breakfast. I knew you were tired from taking care of her while I was at work these last few days… and… I wanted to let you rest, so I was going to make you breakfast and bring it to you."

I blinked at him seriously for a few moments, random thoughts of both how sweet and how fake that sounded running through my head. He looked back, nervously rubbing his neck as he leaned against the counter, watching me and waiting for my reaction. And then I began to laugh.

He frowned. "Why is that funny?"

I sank down into one of the chairs at the small table, laughing harder than I'd laughed in a very long time. "You… cooking…?"

His frown deepened. "I thought it would be a nice gesture."

I took a steadying breath. "It would have been if you hadn't set everything on fire!" And then I burst into laughter once more.

A flash of irritation crossed his features before he grinned smugly. "Flambé."

"Huh?"

"Flambé. It's when you set food on fire. I did that. Only… accidentally." Gippal began to laugh, too, and our voices echoed about the kitchen as we stared at the slightly steaming pan in the sink.

With a sigh and a deep breath, I calmed myself. "It was a nice gesture. Thank you."

"Thank you and you're welcome. Sorry… I think it's a bit charred. But the intent is what matters, right?" he asked, a cheeky smile on his lips.

I nodded, with a grin. "Exactly."

* * *

I sat on the floor, leaning against Telan's crib, a book in my hands. Telan had only just gone back to sleep, after a few hours of being miserable. Slowly but surely, she was starting to feel better. Her crying wasn't as urgent as it had been for the past few days, her fever was lower, and she wasn't reacting like a flash bomb to unwanted touch any longer. If Rikku or I had tried to pick her up at the wrong moment during the past days, she would scream. Now, she just sort of whined, as she'd done that first day in the hospital when I'd woken her up from her comfortable infant sleep.

My gaze shifted from the words on the page to the falling rain outside. When I'd brought Rikku to Djose from Bikanel, we'd arrived in the middle of a rain like this one. One of those rains where every sweeping silver curtain could be seen, each drop an individual entity, but part of something bigger. The patter on the ground and roof came and went in patterns, almost like a song. A song that went back as far as time itself, something without words… something that didn't need words. I remembered helping her carry her bags through the rains, kissing her softly before pushing open the large doors and leading her up to her bedroom. I remembered the taste of the rain on her lips. It seemed like so long ago, but only about ten months had passed since that moment had taken place. I closed my eyes for a moment, blown away by how much had changed.

Even with all the change, certain things had stayed the same. Djose had changed very little since I'd established the Machine Faction. Djose was a timeless place, without change. I guess it was only natural for things to remain frozen here. Suspended in time. My feelings for Rikku hadn't changed… if anything, they were stronger.

How did she feel about me? I couldn't help but wonder… I needed to know. Did she mean it when she'd said she loved me? Had the last few days of pleasantry only been in my imagination? I hoped not, because that would mean that they weren't pleasant at all, and if that was the case… well, then I'd have to smack my head against a wall. And my poor head couldn't stand any more of that, what with all my tortured thoughts.

"Gippal?" My thoughts interrupted, I turned toward the doorway. Rikku stood there, and I sucked in a breath. Even when she wasn't trying to be, she was gorgeous. Her long, golden blonde hair floated around her, catching the dim light. She slowly walked down the two small stairs and crossed the room as I closed my book and stood. Her bright eyes weren't tired for the first time since she'd gotten here… I got the impression that it was actually the first time in months. She leaned against the side of the crib, reaching down to run her hand over Telan's tiny forehead. "How's my girl?"

I smiled softly, looking down at the baby. "I think she's feeling a little better. She's just a little crabby. Not nearly as bad as yesterday."

Rikku continued to stare down at the baby, a tiny half grin gracing her lips. "That's good… I think she's exhausted from fighting it off, you know?"

"Yeah…" I watched her as she carefully combed Telan's hair into place, as she pulled our little girl's fingers from her mouth, as she lovingly adjusted the little blankets. Something about the way she moved was different, gentler… soft. I hadn't noticed it before, perhaps because I wasn't observant enough, or perhaps because it wasn't there. But I liked it. For a brief moment, as she leaned over the side of the crib to run her thumb over the back of Telan's hand, she was glowing, a sense of warmth radiating from her. She smiled widely as Telan sneezed, and turned toward me, her velvety green eyes sparkling.

She hugged me tightly, and I smiled into her hair as she rested her head on my shoulder. "Thank you for helping me today," she said quietly. "I haven't felt this rested since I… for a long time."

I pulled back slowly, watching her carefully. I knew what she'd been about to say. "Since you left?"

She averted her gaze for a few seconds before bravely meeting my eyes once more. "Yeah."

I lowered myself back to my spot on the floor, patting the ground in front of me. "C'mere." She hesitantly lowered herself to the floor as well, sitting in the gap between my legs before leaning back against my chest. I hesitantly wrapped my arms about her waist, and she rested her head against my shoulder, gazing up at me questioningly. "Can we talk about some things?"

She held my gaze steadily. "Yeah."

I took a slow, deep breath. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer to the question I was about to ask, but… I was sure that I needed to know. "Rikku… I've been thinking about what you said that night, when you came back. I've been thinking about it a lot." My voice was quiet, unsure. "You said that you left me because you loved me."

"… I did say that. And I meant it."

"And I can't figure out what that means." Rikku stared up at me, her expression guarded. "I've tried. I don't understand it. I… I just need to know." Hesitantly, I pulled her a little closer. "Why did you leave? Why didn't you tell me about the baby?"

She was silent for a few moments, before she looked across the room, locking her eyes on the opposite wall. "I tried. A few times. The day I found out… I had a day off, remember? I went to Luca to get it confirmed. You got home, and I knew, and I was going to tell you right then, but then you said something about how your day had been horrible and problematic, and… I decided it could wait for a better time." She took a shaky breath, as I held my own. "A few days later, we went to dinner at the port in the Moonflow, and I tried again, but you were excited about something that happened at work, and you wanted to celebrate. And I told myself that we could celebrate our news another time." It was almost as if she'd been waiting to say this. As if she hadn't said anything about it before. "I told myself that it could wait for two weeks. Every time I got the courage to tell you, something else came up. But then I realized that I was almost two months along and I couldn't keep it a secret for much longer. The only person who knew was… Adena. I kept hoping that you would just _notice_… but you didn't.

"So I ended up having to ask you plainly what you thought about the future. You said you weren't ready to get married." Her eyes closed tightly, and I breathed out uncertainly as I watched her struggle to keep talking. "It hurt, but I understood, because you didn't know about anything that was going on, and in all reality, I wasn't ready to get married, either. But then I asked you about kids, and I thought you'd finally get it, that if I pushed hard enough… you might understand what I was trying to tell you. But you didn't. And when I left the room, I got dizzy, and you thought I was sick, but I wasn't." She turned to me, looking me in the eyes as tears began to make a slow trail down her cheeks. "I was carrying your baby, I wasn't sick! And I couldn't tell you, because I knew what would happen!"

My heart was pounding in my chest. "What do you mean?" I recalled that night, when she'd left Telan with me, when her tears had made her look so small, so fragile. Something was different now, just like in the way she moved, but I was still reminded of it. And it was tearing my madly beating heart into pieces.

"You never had a family, growing up. I knew you'd give up everything for one, if the opportunity came about… even if you weren't ready. That's how you are, Gippal. And I couldn't let you give up. I couldn't let you lose everything you've worked for, just for me and the baby. I couldn't make you choose between us and your life. You worked too hard to make something for yourself for me to have to tie you down. You didn't deserve to be tied down, you needed to fly, and I saw that… and I packed up my things, even though I didn't want to, and I went to Besaid." She wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I left because I loved you. But I didn't want to go. I wanted you to call, or to come after me. Something! I waited for it… and then it never came, and I knew it was my fault, and that I deserved it, so I gave up. And I made everyone promise not to tell you. But I wish someone had."

Her soft whispering stopped as she looked toward the window, blinking quickly in an effort to stop her tears. I was stunned. Nothing I'd thought had come close to this. She'd left for me. She'd left because she cared too much about me to allow our relationship… our family… to come between me and my future. She hadn't considered herself. She'd only been worried about me. She was shaking now, against me, trying to hold her emotions in.

Without a second thought, I turned her toward me and pulled her into a tight embrace. Her tears streamed across my neck and soaked into my shirt as she cried almost noiselessly into my shoulder. I smoothed her hair comfortingly, holding her as tightly as possible. "I'm sorry, Rikku… I never meant to hurt you, Cid's girl… I'm so sorry…"

She tightened her grip around me and spoke softly as she continued to cry. "I missed that the most…" She took a shuddering breath as she held onto me, and I brushed her hair back, away from her face.

"What?"

"You calling me 'Cid's girl'… it always makes me feel special, even if I pretend to hate it." She pulled back and looked into my eyes. I reached up and gently brushed a tear from her cheek. "I was miserable without you," she whispered. "I felt so alone…"

I held her tightly once more. "I was miserable without you, too."

She sobbed weakly as I stroked her golden hair. "I'm so sorry, Gippal… for everything…"

I stopped her with a hesitant kiss, leaning my forehead against hers when I pulled away. "Don't apologize… I'm sorry for everything, too." I kissed her once more, tasting the tears on her lips… and it reminded me of that day in the rain, for the taste of the rain on her lips was the taste of the sky's tears… and Rikku's tears were the sky's tears to me, as well, because Rikku was my sky. She was my everything.

* * *

Night had fallen. Telan and I were curled up in Gippal's bed, exhausted. Telan was beating the flu, at long last. I was emotionally drained from my confession to Gippal.

I had my arm over the baby, holding her little body close. She was holding tightly to my right pinky, seemingly unwilling to let it go. She slept soundly, holding my finger in a vice-like death grip, as I watched her sleep in wonder. She was so peaceful when she was sleeping.

There was a quiet knock on the door, before Gippal entered the room. I looked up at him hesitantly, still a bit uncertain about his feelings of what had occurred that afternoon.

He closed the door behind him, so quiet as he tiptoed across the room. I stared at him questioningly. "You okay?" I asked, watching his eyes as they watched me.

He smiled softly. "I was getting a little lonely out there on the couch… Can I sleep with you and the baby tonight? "

With a small smile, I nodded and carefully picked Telan up, setting her in the middle of the bed as I adjusted the blankets. Gippal slid underneath the bedclothes and sighed heavily, reaching for my hand beneath the blankets. I smiled as Telan grabbed both of our pinkies in her little hands in her sleep, as Gippal and I watched her sleeping in fascination.

* * *

_Wooot. Done! The fire scene and cuddle scene were **FairyIce**'s idea! Thanks for beta, and thanks for all reviews!_

_Please Review!_


	16. Getting Reacquainted

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 16: Getting Reacquainted_**

* * *

I sat in front of the bathroom mirror, slowly adding hair to the coil of braids atop my head. The house was silent, and so was I. I was waiting for Gippal to get home from work. Brother had already come to pick up Telan. Tonight, we were going to dinner. As I looked into my own eyes, I smiled.

Things were looking up. Telan had been healthy for two weeks, now, and Gippal and I had finally gotten over the flu that she'd passed on to us. The two of us had been rather tentative about the prospect of sleeping in the same room once again, after that first night, but it wasn't as awkward now as it had been two weeks before. It was nice to go to bed and be warm. To have someone else's warmth flow over you in gentle waves during the cold night hours. He'd held my hand again two nights before, breaking our invisible barrier at the center of the bed. I'd played a little game of footsies the next night. And both of us had woken to find ourselves just a few inches closer to the other this morning.

I'd been happy to find that he still watched blitzball when he couldn't sleep. That he would still cheer on the Psyches, no matter how badly they were losing. That he never gave up hope, even when the game was over. "They'll get 'em next time," he'd say. And I'd been happy to find that he still didn't mind if I joined him. That he would simply scoot over on the couch to make room, and offer me some popcorn.

Everything seemed so much clearer now. It was almost as if I'd been looking at my life through a foggy window, and suddenly, it had been wiped clean. I'd finally been able to truly tell him about why I'd left, face to face, without any lies. I'd finally let myself cry about it, truly cry. And everything felt better. Every small brush of his fingertips on my shoulder, every little smirk… every small, stolen kiss… made me feel better. Different. Alive.

I liked feeling alive. I liked that the smile on my face was real now, not the fake one I'd been putting on for so many months. I liked watching Gippal with our daughter, seeing how very much he loved her. He was still himself, but there was more to him now, a different sort of quality. He said the same about me, that I was slightly different, but in a good way. The three of us would sit or lie together, and everything felt right.

Back when we were making our slow progression to Zanarkand, I'd never thought that I would feel that way. I'd never thought that being somewhat settled would make me happy. I'd never thought that something so trivial could complete me. Even during the few long months in which we chased after Vegnagun, I'd thought that my life was only really complete when I was chasing something. When I was trying to help people, to save people from something. Vegnagun was only a year ago, now… and everything was different. But for some reason… I didn't mind all that much. Sure, I missed the action packed lifestyle. However, I liked the calm one, as well. Maybe I liked it better.

I took a deep breath as I finished the last braid, placing it with the rest in the large coil atop my head. I carefully put everything into place, twisting and pinning the strands in their proper spots. I looked into the mirror as I placed my old, faded blue bandana on top of it all. And when I saw the same smiling face of last year in the mirror, the same faded blue bandana atop the crown of molten gold, the same tanned skin and bright green eyes staring back at me… I laughed. I smiled. I stood and looked at myself in the mirror.

He was right. Something was different. But it was good. There I was, in the same yellow bikini top and short skirt, with the same summoner style coverlets on my arms, my brightly colored scarf around my neck. And I wasn't the same Rikku I once was. But I was still Rikku. Gippal was still Gippal. And life felt good once again.

* * *

I grinned as the waiter led us to a little table in one corner of the newest restaurant in the tourism district of the Moonflow. I hadn't expected Gippal to make such a huge effort. I'd thought we were going to go to that same restaurant we'd gone to long ago, on the second occasion in which I'd tried to tell him about the baby. I think he realized that it probably wouldn't be the best place to go.

This new place was nice. It overlooked the water and all the little flat bottomed boats that cruised along down the river. The pyreflies were just beginning to flourish in the fading light of day. As I looked out of the window near our table at the thousands of tiny white lights in the water, I smiled. He must have gone scouting for a good dinner place. From past experience, I knew he couldn't have chosen this place simply because the menu looked good.

I felt his fingers gently nudge against my own, and looked away from the window, smiling widely at him. He grinned back, entwining our fingers without a second thought. "Is this okay? I've never been here, I thought we should try it out."

I laughed softly, nodding spiritedly. "It's really nice."

He smiled and pointed out the window. "Pyreflies…" I nodded as he looked out at the sight I'd been taking in. There was a little smile on his lips as he looked out at the river. His shoulders were set confidently, and his grip on my hand was neither too loose or too strong. A calm, welcoming warmth seemed to radiate from him, and I smiled. He glanced back at me with his uncovered eye, looking slightly confused. "What?"

"Nothing… just watching you."

"If that wasn't you talking, I'd be really freaked out right now." He laughed. I giggled. The waiter returned with menus, and handed them to us, giving us strange looks as we continued to laugh. As he walked away, we only laughed more.

Once we were calm, we started browsing. I opened my mouth teasingly, but he cut me off before I could even begin to speak. "You can order anything you want, you don't have to worry about the price." With a wink, he grinned up at me. "But try to be frugal."

I rolled my eyes and kicked his foot. "Fine. I will." He whined, and I grinned, looking over the different selections of seafood. Even when his leg rubbed against mine beneath the table, I continued to read my menu as if nothing was going on. But I played back all the same. He still held my hand, and he too was regarding the menu without a trace of distraction.

Once we ordered, we stopped our little leg war and relaxed. I leaned forward on the table, taking his other hand in mine, resting my chin on the brim of my glass as I sipped from the straw absently. He squeezed my fingers tightly. "Huh?" I asked, looking up at his grinning face.

"Do you remember that time back in Bikanel when we were all sitting out by the Oasis?"

I looked off to the side for a moment, thinking. "Which time? We did that a lot."

"When your brother had all the alcohol."

I giggled helplessly. "How could I not remember that?"

"I don't know, my memory is a little fuzzy." He grinned and took a sip of his drink.

"Then why'd you bring it up?" I asked, smiling. He only shrugged as he sucked at his straw. "That's the day I knew you were drunk because you told me I was beautiful. You never would have said that if you weren't intoxicated."

"But you _are_ beautiful."

I blushed, as did he. "Well, thank you… but… well, you were still drunk."

"Yeah, I think I was." He chuckled and looked out the window.

I smiled to myself as another memory surfaced. "And what about that little party in Luca a few days after we took down Vegnagun?"

He flushed again, quite visibly. "Oh, the one where you had to help me back to my room because I was so plastered?"

"Yep."

"I remember that one. And I remember you taking care of me while you called me a 'big dummy' and other such nasty little names."

I grinned. "And you thanked me and you agreed that you were a big dummy." I reached across the table for his drink, stealing a sip of it. "Oooh, that's good."

"Yeah, I really like it." He took a sip, too, with a grin. "And then I said something about how I would be a really big dummy if I didn't ask you to dinner the next night."

"Yep, to repay me for taking care of your sorry drunk ass." I laughed and leaned back in my chair.

"Was it enough payment, by the way? I don't think I ever asked."

"I didn't need to be repaid, it was simply an act from the kindness of my own heart. But I did get a pretty nice free meal out of the deal." I winked at him, flicking my braids back over my shoulder playfully.

"One!" he asked, playing at being offended. "I think you got quite a few."

"Yeah, yeah…" I smiled, flushing slightly as I looked down at the tabletop. "Gippal?"

"Yes?"

"I'm really glad I said yes when you drunkenly asked me to dinner."

He grinned as I looked up at him, his eye shining. "Me too."

* * *

We walked down the pier that was now lined with little boutiques and supply shops. The whole place was lit up with the eerie glow of the pyreflies. As they flew through the air, I listened for the familiar whispers that they gave off, scattered bits of long lost conversations that made no sense to the living. A light wind blew over the water as we walked back to the pass that would lead us home to Djose. I looked over at Gippal, who was watching me as my eyes wandered from one circle of the little phenomena to another.

"What're you thinking about?" he asked me, his voice quiet.

I pointed out at the largest cluster of pyreflies, far out in the center of the water. "If you got near enough to those, they'd start playing back memories, you know…"

"Just me? Wow, I'm special!" He grinned stupidly, and I shook my head with a grin.

"No, anyone."

"Yeah, I know. Why are you thinking about that?"

"This place holds a lot of memories for me. Its hard not to think about that when all these little buggers pop up." I pointed at the North Bank, near the entryway to the Guadosalam Road. "That's where I washed up after Tidus and Wakka kicked the crap out of the Summoner Sanctum machina… and Tidus found me over there and I met my cousin. I made a split second decision to join the summoner party, if they'd let me. And they did."

"Even though you were Al Bhed?"

"Well… not everyone knew. Not until later, at least."

He smiled at me, stopping for a moment as he leaned on the railing or the pier and looked out over the river water. "You've never really talked about the pilgrimage before."

I joined him at the railing with a shrug, rubbing my hands over the old summoner arm coverlets in an effort to keep myself warm. "What's there to talk about?" I asked quietly.

"Well… what happened. I know the basic story, but… everyone in Spira knows the basic story. Its just kinda weird, you know? I mean, I share a daughter with one of the most famous guardians ever to live, and I know nothing about what actually happened out there."

I watched as a baby shoopuf made a commotion in the water across the river. I wanted to tell him about it, but I'd only ever shared the entire story with my father. Some things were too sacred to be told in bits and pieces. "I'll tell you about it sooner or later, but it's really not important right now, you know?" He frowned slightly and nodded, following my gaze. "Speaking of our daughter… I think I should check in with Brother, see if she's doing okay without us…"

I opened up the little pouch that hung on my skirt, looking for my CommSphere. As soon as I retrieved it, Gippal snatched it from my hands. "She's fine."

I stared up at him, confused. "Well, don't you want to see if she's okay?"

He tucked my CommSphere away in his back pocket, grinning at me. "Rikki, we've left her with people before."

"Not for this long!"

He sighed heavily and reached for my hand, squeezing it softly. "Listen… I just… I just want to spend some time with you. Just you and me, you know, without any distractions. And I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just… I want to get to know you again." His voice was very low, very quiet. "We'll go home in a little while, but can't we just spend some quality time together while we have the night off?"

I squeezed back, smiling softly at him. I was glad he wanted to spend time with me. I was worried about Telan, but I knew Brother would take care of her. I needed to concentrate on Gippal, now. "Yeah… sorry, I just-"

He held a finger to my lips with a grin. "It's okay. I get it." I planted a tiny kiss on his fingertip, grinning merrily up at him. He grinned a little wider.

The two of us set off down the pier once more, watching the pyreflies as they dance in the wind. I rubbed my arms once again, shivering in the wind. _I was stupid to wear this… I'm not used to this get-up anymore…_

I jumped as Gippal draped his arm over my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. He was warm. I leaned my head against his shoulder as we walked, grinning happily. I always felt safe in his arms. I was just tall enough to be that perfect size, where I could rest my head on his shoulder without any difficulty whatsoever.

As we left the pier, taking to the dirt road that would lead us to the entrance of the Moonflow Road, Gippal pointed. "The duck man's got a band playing."

I laughed at his description. "Wanna go and check it out?"

He raised an eyebrow, glancing toward the road. "Sure. But if the music is horrible, then we're outta there."

"Deal!"

As the two of us approached the area on the bank where the band was playing, I looked over at Gippal. He was smiling to himself, walking confidently toward the crowd. I smiled to myself as well as we stepped up to the back of the gathering.

The music was slow and enchanting. I watched as the musicians played their various instruments behind the young woman who was singing, smiling as I remembered Yuna's little concert in the Thunder Plains. I rocked back and forth on my heels to the beat, my eyes closed.

And then I felt Gippal's hand grab my own and pull me toward him. I looked up at him in surprise as his arms encircled my waist. "What're you doing?"

"Dancing." And as we began to sway back and forth together, my head on his shoulder, I smiled once again. The Moonflow held a lot of memories for me… and now I had another beautiful one to add to my collection.

* * *

I sat down on the edge of Gippal's bed, cozy in my pajama's. We'd decided to leave Telan with Brother for the night. She was asleep when we'd returned… and we wanted some more time alone. He entered the room with a smile. I grinned slyly, gazing at his shirtless torso without trying to hide it.

He sat on the other side, resting his head on the pillows as he glanced up at me. "Why are you looking at me?"

"Because you're a nice thing to look at. Easy on the eyes." I giggled as he punched my leg playfully, chuckling at my response.

"You aren't too bad, yourself."

"Gee. Thanks."

"I didn't mean it like that!"

"Uh-huh." I laughed as he pouted, resting my own head on the pillows, my arms carelessly tossed over my head.

He sighed, gazing at me for a long while without speaking. "Rikku…"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about the pilgrimage. I want to know."

I sighed deeply as I gazed into his eyes. "Why?"

"I'm curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, but I don't say meow, so I don't need to worry about that." He stuck out his bottom lip and gave me the puppy dog eyes that I couldn't resist. With a groan, I rolled onto my side so that I could face him.

"That's not fair!"

"What isn't?"

"The eyes."

"Oh, c'mon, you know I'd fall for it if you did it. Please?"

I thought for a long moment, ignoring him completely as I considered, before I finally relented. "I don't want to talk about it for long. It's just a memory, now."

"But that's not all it is." He smiled softly. "And you don't like that."

I shrugged. "Yeah. That's it."

"Okay… you don't have to talk for long."

I looked up at the ceiling. "It was scary. Especially for me. They barely let me into the temples. I think I remember someone calling me 'sacrilegious trash' before we got to Macalania… but I sort of tuned that stuff out. They locked us up in Bevelle, and once we got away, we had to hide out in Macalania for a few days before we could make our way through to the Calm Lands." I sighed heavily, unconsciously scooting closer to him. "The Calm Lands were weird back then. I hated them the most."

"Why?" he asked, a surprised expression on his face.

"Because they were too calm. Empty, y'know? And there's this one cliff out there, where you can see everything that you've passed up stretched out behind you… it's like a warning. It was a beautiful place, but I felt like it was the last place I'd see, so… I don't know, they were the worst for me. And there's this place on Gagazet… now the Ronso call it the Fayth Scar, but before, there was this huge pool of… well, raw power, I guess you could say, and it generated the storms over the mountain. And in the cliff face, there were all these… these people, in the stone. They looked like they were sleeping, but they were frozen, they were just encased in ice. They were the old summoners of Zanarkand, the ones left over from the war. And when Sin came, they all came together to keep the city alive by dreaming, and put themselves into this voluntary state of living death… it was horrible. They were still perfect, and they were alive, but they were dead…" I shivered, and he gently put an arm around my waist. "Everything changed when I left Bikanel. I wasn't a little girl anymore… not after that journey." With a sigh, I met his eyes.

"It was both wonderful and horrible at the same time. I always had to be on my guard, on my toes... it made me grow up. It's a lot more than just hunting down Sin and taking him out. It was kind of like hunting myself down and ripping everything I was to shreds, and having to put it back together again. For all of us. It was special... I can't describe it. It's kind of like us."

He was completely calm as he pressed a finger to my lips, telling me to stop. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he didn't want to press any further. He was still curious, though. He was always curious. "You don't have to say anything else if you don't want to." Tenderly, he brushed my braids back, out of my eyes. I nodded, and, without thinking, I crossed the short distance between us, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist in a tight hug.

"Thanks… I just-" But I never finished the sentence, for his hand lightly brushed over my cheek, and then his lips were on mine, gentle and calming. After the initial shock wore off, I began to return his kiss, closing my eyes. His thumb continually brushed over my cheek as our lips met, the contact soft as silk sliding over silk.

My limbs felt like jelly, and an entire palette of butterflies was suddenly fluttering about in my stomach. A gentle warmth was flooding my veins, spreading quickly throughout my entire body. He pressed his lips against mine a little harder, and I responded warmly, my mind swimming.

I started as his hand left my cheek and trailed slowly down my arm. He caressed my skin softly, artfully, and the butterflies began to swarm. I could feel him grinning against my lips as I hesitated. His touch was so light it was almost non-existent. And then again, it was so light that it attracted all my attention. I distractedly suckled on his lower lip as he reached for my hand. And as soon as he gave my hand a light squeeze, the butterflies quieted and returned to a dormant state, all nervousness gone.

He pulled back slowly, glancing at me as he laced his fingers with mine. "You okay?" he asked, as I gazed at him calmly. With a smile, I nodded and rolled onto my back, pulling him to me.

"I'm more than okay." He smiled and kissed me once more. Our tongues mingled for a moment, before he pulled away and trailed small kisses over my cheek. The butterflies returned with a vengeance as his lips found the hollow of my neck. And as I stared up at the ceiling, smiling to myself, holding his warm body in my arms… gently caressing his shoulders as his lips gently caressed my skin… something within me stirred. My heart felt as if it were about to swell and burst with the feeling, and even if I didn't feel ready to acknowledge it verbally, I knew what it meant. And I knew that he felt it, too.

* * *

_Sorry that this chapter took so long, my life has suddenly become crazy insane. I'm not sure how long the next chapter will take. I have Powderpuff practice, dance, and homework all next week, and I have Homecoming after that. In any case, I hope you like it. Thanks so much for all the reviews, and thanks to **FairyIce** for the Beta. _

_Please Review!_


	17. I Still Believe

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 17: I Still Believe_**

* * *

_I closed the door behind me as I walked into my sleeping quarters. For a long moment, I leaned against the door in the dark, letting go of my stress. Deep breaths, in and out, and me, just me, alone in the dark. A flash of lightning lit the air, visible through my closed eyelids, and I jumped. I still hated lightning and thunder, even if I pretended to be okay with it. _

_In the black, I roamed through the small space. Even if I'd only been here a few weeks, I knew my way around. I knew which drawer held what, how many steps it took to get to the bed, where the piles of clothing that I'd carelessly tossed onto the floor were stationed. My eyes closed once more, I slowly changed out of my work clothes and into one of the long sleeved shirts that I'd borrowed from Gippal. It was much too big on me, but I didn't care. After pulling on some long pajama bottoms, I pulled out the ponytail holder that held my hair up and let the strands drop, let them stretch their full length. There were mounds of blankets on the bed, and I slipped inside happily, sheltered from the cold air of the stone temple. _

_I waited comfortably. I heard my door creak as it was opened, saw the light from the hall pour in as the figure entered my room. He left his shoes next to my own near the door before tiptoeing across the small space, pulling back the covers and crawling underneath them with me. _

"_It's chilly tonight." His voice was smiling, and I moved closer to him. _

"_Yeah… I'm glad you're staying in here tonight. I might've frozen if I didn't have the extra body heat." With a little chuckle, I rested my head beside his on the large, soft pillow. _

"_I'm here to serve." _

_Gippal's hand grasped mine under the blankets, his grip sure and strong. I gently rested my head on his chest, nuzzling him lightly. I loved to lie with him at night. Since I'd arrived in Djose, we'd taken turns sleeping in one another's rooms. It was nice to have someone to hold in the long night hours, good to be able to feel something in your arms other than a pillow. The two of us were still too shy to take it further than just holding and sleeping… but we were content with it. _

_I sighed contentedly as he finger-combed my hair. His muscles were very tense, as he held me tightly. I wondered if something had happened in the office that day, while I was out on the ocean doing some research. A bright play of electricity revealed his expression as I lay there in his grasp. _

_He looked nervous. "Hun… is something wrong?" I asked, quietly. He paused for a moment before kissing my cheek. I could feel the grin on his lips. _

"_Rikku…" I sighed and waited as he took in a breath. "I love you."_

_I froze. A warmth began to flood through my core, out to my very fingertips, and another light show made my room bright as day. Our eyes were interlocked, his smiling and unsure, mine shocked and excited. And as the lightning faded away into the cloud cover, I kissed him slowly, squeezing his hand tight. With all of the emotion I could muster, I whispered softly in his ear. _

"_I love you, too…" _

* * *

I stood up, leaving the uncomfortable desk chair behind. I was glad I'd chosen it. It was uncomfortable enough to keep me awake in the late night hours. There was no way I would have been able to finish all the paperwork I'd come home with if it wasn't so damned hard and rigid. I stretched my arms above my head, yawning as I did so, and reached back down to turn off the lamp. Slowly, I made my way out the door, through the living room, and into the hallway. 

I paused as I passed Telan's door, which was slightly ajar. I heard a soft voice from within, and with a slight grin, I walked inside quietly, not wanting to interrupt Rikku's lullaby.

She was singing softly, an old Al Bhed lullaby… it was always calming and comforting, with its words of home and warmth, but her voice, the care with which she pronounced each flowing word, made it even more welcoming. I leaned against the wall at the top of the steps, watching her with a smile on my face. Telan was in her arms, staring up at her as she drank her bottle, eyes wide and hair all over the place. Rikku was patting her back softly, rocking back and forth in the little rocking chair, singing down to her as if there was nothing else in the world.

Telan reached her small hand up, grasping at the hand her mother had around the bottle. Rikku grinned down at her and stopped her song. "Oh, you got me!" She wiggled her fingers about slightly on the bottle, and Telan's grip tightened on her fingers. "Oh no! I'm stuck! She's got me…" Rikku smiled widely as Telan's little nose wrinkled.

She talked to her quietly, making the little one smile. I waited for a few more moments, watching her exercise that familiar gentleness that I loved. She'd begun to hum the lullaby once more, and was smoothing the infant's hair back. For the moment, all her concentration was on the baby. I sighed contentedly and quietly left the room, walking down the hall to the bedroom.

Twenty minutes later, I smiled as I felt Rikku slip beneath the covers. Her arms wrapped around my waist, and I hugged her tightly. "Is she out?" I asked quietly, stroking her hair.

"She was fighting, but I think exhaustion finally got the better of her…"

I yawned, and Rikku laughed. "I think it's starting to get the better of me, too…"

She snaked her arm underneath my head, and I leaned back on it with a sigh, grinning. "Do I need to sing you to sleep, too?"

"Yep."

"No!"

I pouted, looking into her eyes in the dark. "Please? You were singing to Telan!"

"And are you a baby now?" She sighed when I grinned facetiously. "Ignore that question. She's little, she needs to be- you were listening!"

"I was watching, too."

"If that wasn't coming from you, I'd be creeped out right now." She laughed. Her eyes lit up as she did so, and my heart warmed. She pouted, sticking out her lower lip. I playfully leaned over and caught it in my teeth, nibbling softly as she giggled at me. "I don't want to sing!" she complained, tickling my side. I curled up, away from her hand, and she laughed triumphantly.

"Fine… don't sing. I understand. No love, no love…" I laughed as I let my head rest heavily on her arm.

She was quiet, though. I could see her eyes shining in the thin light. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, and as the brief light flooded the room, I caught her expression. She looked nervous.

"What's wrong?" I asked, rubbing her arm softly. She shifted slightly, moving slightly closer to me.

Her voice was quiet. "I don't think anything is wrong, necessarily…"

I kissed her cheek, uncertainly. "Then why are you acting funny all of the sudden?"

She sighed and tensed. "I love you, Gippal."

* * *

I blinked at him uncertainly as he remained quiet. I could barely see him, but that didn't matter. I could feel him. I could feel how nervous he was. His hand had paused on my arm, but soon enough, he began to rub once more, his eyes searching my own wide and waiting ones. 

There was a strange warmth in his touch, in his searching. A strange look in his eyes. My chest felt tight, constrained. I waited, still, fear filling me despite the look that I knew, the warmth that I knew. What if he didn't say it back? What if he changed his mind? What if these wonderful last weeks had all been... something else? Something not love?

His fingers brushed against my cheek, so soft. He took a deep breath, and with a sigh came the words… the words that I needed to hear. "And I love you..."

His thumb brushed over my cheek as he leaned forward, kissing me softly, slowly. I kissed him back, closing my eyes, which were slowly filling with happy tears. I hadn't thought that those few words would affect me so deeply, stir my heart and entire soul, that the touch of his gentle hand on my cheek could soothe me so. He stopped caressing my cheek as he felt the hot tears begin to trail down my cheek, and looked down at me with concern in his eyes.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, quietly, holding me safely in his arms.

I shook my head, running my fingers through his hair. "I just didn't know how much I needed to hear that…"

There was a smile in his words. "I needed to hear it, too…" I sighed with contentment as he kissed my tears away, as he kissed my eyelids and then returned to my lips, gentle and loving. I pulled him closer, pressing my body against his, and I lovingly caressed his neck and shoulders as we kissed.

His hand left my cheek and he began to slowly slide it down my back. With his other arm, he held me to him firmly. With a sigh, he began to trail kisses down my cheekbone and toward my neck. I stared off into the dim light of the room, a smile on my lips as his fingers lightly trailed over my thigh, as he pulled my leg around his waist.

Without much hesitation, I kissed along his jaw-line. When I finally met his earlobe, I gently began to suckle as he lightly rubbed at my thigh. He gave off a loud sigh, and I softly caressed his side. "Rikku…" he murmured, almost inaudibly. I pulled away from his ear a bit, and smiled.

"Hmm?"

He turned to look at me and shook his head. "…don't stop, Cid's girl…" I smirked for a moment before kissing him softly. Then, I turned back to his ear, sucking and nibbling with a feather-light touch.

Very gently, he pushed at my shoulder, and I rolled onto my back. He hovered just inches over me, kissing at my neck, the hand that had been on my thigh trailing up to my shirt. He began to fiddle with the buttons, as he kissed and nibbled at my collarbone, and I gasped lightly. Slowly, his hand traveled down the front of my shirt as he expertly unbuttoned the closures. I slid out of it with a smile and a shiver, as the cool air met my skin. He kissed me fully, our tongues mingling together, as he pulled the string ties of my yellow bikini top out of their knots and gently pulled the fabric away.

* * *

My lips wandered freely over her bare chest. I rubbed her arm softly, listening as she occasionally gasped or let out a breathy sigh. It was slightly strange to me, that those few words had led us to this… but it was right, as well. "Gippal…" she sighed softly, her hand on my chin, pulling me back to her lips. I kissed her gently before sitting up. 

Quickly, I tried to peel my shirt off. I floundered about for a moment as I got lost in it. Rikku's giggling made me smile, and after a short moment of struggling with the shirt, she managed to pull it off, over my head. She kissed me, a smile in her eyes, and pressed her hands against my chest, up and over my shoulders… pressed her own bare chest against mine. I let my fingers comb through her hair as she kissed my neck. Slightly tentative, her hands found my belt. She pulled open the clasp, slowly unbuttoned the closure, and pulled down the zipper. With a grin, she kissed me once more, leaning back slightly as I too pulled at the ties of her pants. Both of us hesitated as we were left only in our underwear.

I looked her in the eyes, and she blinked back at me, her bright green orbs wide and bright. "I love you, Gippal." I smiled back, listening to those words that made everything feel alright, the words that erased everything that had happened.

"I love you, too… more than you'll ever know." I kissed her softly once more, before she pulled away, lying back on the pillows. I pulled her underwear off, letting my fingers trail over her long, soft legs. She, in turn, pulled my boxers off, grinning up at me with warmth in her eyes. And then she pulled me to her once more, beneath the sheets. I tickled her inner thigh, and she grinned and nodded, lacing her fingers with mine, letting her arms rest above her head. And I leaned down to kiss her, letting my body rest against hers, careful to support my weight.

I gazed at her; she gazed back at me, her eyes trusting. And as we kissed each other, warmly, lovingly… we were one, again.

* * *

I sighed in contentment as Gippal tucked the heavy blankets around the two of us, as he lovingly made sure that I was warm enough before he rested his head on my shoulder and wrapped an arm around my waist. 

I gazed at him, a lazy smile on my lips, as I brushed my bare leg against his. He grinned back, blinking back at me innocently, as if he were trying not to let his grin evolve into his trademark smirk. Gently, I brushed my fingers through his slightly damp hair, happy just to be near him. For a moment, I felt like I'd gone back in time. The past ten and a half months hadn't gone by… it was just him and me, lying in one another's arms without a care in the world.

The small, one way radio device that Gippal had made brought me back to the present as a fussy Telan began to whine in her room. I looked over my shoulder at the radio, and attempted to push myself up. But Gippal pulled me back down and ran his thumb over my cheek once more.

"She'll be fine, Rikki…" he said softly, gazing at me.

"One of us should go and get her," I whispered, gazing back at the little monitor.

"No, she'll be okay without us." He sighed and continued to stroke my cheek comfortingly as we listened to her. A few moments passed, and she was only cooing, her adorable bubble blowing noise making me smile as it came through the monitor. Not long after that, I could only hear the sound of her breathing as she went back to sleep.

With a sigh, I looked back at him. "... I feel kinda guilty for not going to get her…"

"Why?" he asked, pulling me closer as he nuzzled my neck.

I shrugged and ran my fingers through his hair again. With a small smile, I began to sing that same lullaby I'd been singing to Telan earlier that night, my voice quiet. He smiled lightly against my skin as I sang to him softly, my voice steady. And as I sang there, his warm arms wrapped around me in our cocoon of blankets, everything was right again. Everything was just how I wanted it to be.

* * *

_I officially feel horrible for making all of you wait so long. The last two or three weeks have been hectic… how long has it been since I updated? Well, I had Homecoming week and Powderpuff football (my team won, I got punched in the eye… it was violent), a whole bunch of tests, dance, a whole bunch of tests, homework, and… oh yeah, a whole bunch of tests. I just want to say thank you to all of you for being so patient. So, this chapter was my first more, ehhem...in depth one. Please, tell me what you think! To **FairyIce, **__thank you so much for all your patience, advice, dedication, and all the laughs. **Kotono116**, thank you a bunch for all your help on this chapter. I would have never gotten it done had you not spurred the ideas, lol. Clap for them! Okay… so now, I have to go study for, guess what, a bunch of tests. I will see you all next chapter, which will hopefully be out sooner than this one was. _

_Please Review!_


	18. A Friendly Little Chat

_**The Echo  
**_**_Chapter 18: A Friendly Little Chat_**

* * *

"Well, sir, I can't really help you out if you aren't willing to pay for materials. We may be the Machine Faction, but that doesn't mean we just hand over everything we use without any sort of reimbursement. We have to keep our doors, open, ya know."

The old man glared at me from his seat across from my desk. "Young whippersnappers… don't know a damned thing about responsibility and generosity…"

I looked over at the playpen as Telan whined up at me. With a smile, I leaned down and picked her up, propping her in my lap as I scribbled on some papers for the old man's order. "I know a lot about responsibility and generosity, sir, which is why I offered to pay for ten percent of the fees for the initial wiring and programming. That's a great huge chunk of change out of your pocket, and it gives me the opportunity to both be generous and put our newest mechanics to the test."

"I don't want new mechanics working on my things! Confounded young 'un, I want exper- who's this?"

Telan was grinning at the old man, giggling happily as I bounced her slightly. As the old man smiled back and watched her, she began to chew on her fingers, grinning still.

"My daughter… she's a doll, ain't she?"

"Daughter?"

"Yep."

He made faces at the infant while I sat back and let her work her magic. "How old is she?"

"About three and a half months, now."

Telan giggled as he stuck his tongue out at her. "Well, she's just precious…"

"I'm glad we agree on that, sir. I might have had to throw you out if you didn't." I winked at the old guy, and the two of us began to laugh.

"Yes, yes, you might have… alright, where were we? Right, right… ten percent sounds like a fine discount to me." He smiled widely, grinning at Telan again as I pushed the papers over for him to sign quickly.

As soon as he'd left his signature and the room, I held Telan up and kissed her cheek. "Good girl… just like we planned. You're Daddy's little angel, aren't you? Got him out of my hair and kept some costs down, didn't you, girlie?" I ruffled her hair softly as Karaa poked her head inside the door. "Hey, what's up?"

"You've got a call on CommSphere 3."

"Could you take a message so I can call them back later? I've got a bunch of inspections to do."

"No, no messages. This guy wants to talk to you _now_. Me and Rikku will do the inspections for ya, don't worry. She's already got her old supervisor's attitude back. She'll make sure it gets done."

I smiled lightly and nodded. "I know. I can depend on her. But not you." She frowned, and I laughed. "I'm just jokin', Karaa. Go ahead and supervise the inspections for me, alright? I'm sure you'll do a good job."

She grinned brightly and nodded, closing the door behind her as she pulled her head out of the office. I sighed and made sure Telan's head wasn't flopping around against my chest as I sat back and answered the waiting CommSphere. "Gippal, Machine Faction."

"Hey, there, kid." Cid's gruff voice met my ears and I looked down at the little blue sphere in surprise. He gave a loud guffaw. "Shocked to see me?"

"Uh… well, yeah. Sorta."

"Is that my little girl, there?" Rikku's father waved at the baby, who put her hand on the blue sphere with a coo of fascination. He laughed again. "She's too blasted cute, that one…"

_Yep. Officially creeped out, now._ I smirked as I bounced Telan softly. "What do you need, Cid?"

"To talk to you, boy."

"Yeah… uhm… about?"

"Some very important business." He smirked, a smirk that would rival my own, one of which I'd never seen before.

"Okay… start talkin', then."

"No, no, no. You're comin' out here to Bikanel, kiddo. This is some very important business, after all, and I want to talk to you in person."

I sighed uncomfortably. Was he starting his insane plans for rebuilding Home, again? "I can't really leave right now, sir, things are really busy…"

"Leave Rikku in charge for a day or two, I'm sure she can handle it." Cid smiled politely. A little too politely. He was up to something.

"Well… don't you want to see her? I'm sure she could handle it, bu-"

"Of course I wanna see her, kid, but that doesn't mean I want her to come along for the ride. We need to have a little man-to-man chat. No women allowed." He pointed at the baby. "Not even that one."

I cuddled her protectively. "Don't even call my baby girl a woman." Cid laughed loudly again, and I couldn't help but chuckle myself.

"Brother said he'd pick you up tonight and bring you out here when he's done with his runs."

"He'd better wait 'til he's done with his runs, otherwise I might have to dock his pay," I joked, both of us knowing full well that I'd never do such a thing.

"Yeah, well, be packed up and ready to go."

"And what am I supposed to tell Rikku?"

"That you went to see a man about some very important business. You wouldn't be lying, even."

The old man was smirking again. I sighed as Telan gave off a loud, exasperated baby sound. "Fine."

* * *

With my bag on my shoulder, I leaned down and kissed my sleeping daughter on the cheek, smoothing her blond hair back before smiling softly and exiting the room. I hated leaving her, even if it would only be for a few days.

Rikku sat on the couch, and I smiled at her as I walked toward her. She stood and met me halfway across the room, her arms slipping about my waist as she hugged me tightly. "Do you absolutely have to go?"

"Yeah… this guy I'm meeting isn't very patient." I sighed heavily as she chuckled.

"As long as he isn't as impatient as my father, you'll be okay."

I put on a fake smile and nodded. "Yep." With a slight cough, I looked around the living room. "You sure you're going to be okay without me for a few days?"

She rolled her eyes at me and stepped back. "I'm not completely incompetent. But I'm going to miss you." I smiled softly and ducked my head to meet her lips in a gentle, slow kiss.

When we broke apart, she smiled at me, her eyes soft. "I'm going to miss you, too, Rikki…"

I sighed heavily, and she laughed. "Look at us, getting all mushy… come here. Gimme a hug."

I willingly obliged with a chuckle, holding her tightly for a long moment before pulling back reluctantly. "I love you, Riks… be home in a few days."

She nodded and walked me to the door, hugging me tightly once more. "I love you, too."

* * *

Brother and I walked down the ramp and onto the sand later that evening. The sun was going down here in Bikanel, the sky a brilliant array of colors. Back in Djose, I'd almost forgotten that the sky could have a color, other than grey. "Pretty, isn't it?" I asked Brother, pointing up.

"Much better than the clouds, that's for sure." He pointed ahead at a small campsite. "That's where Vydran is staying."

"Oh, goodie," I sighed, grinning as Brother laughed at me. The two of us walked silently toward the tents. I was lost in thought, wondering what Cid wanted to talk to me about. It had something to do with Rikku, that I could feel, but I didn't know what. And that scared me, slightly.

I was startled out of my reflection when a loud, gruff voice broke our silence. "There you two are, darn kids… always takin' their sweet time…"

Brother clapped me on the shoulder and pointed back to the ship. "Let me know when you wish to return to Djose." I nodded and watched as he loped back across the sand toward the airship. Cid stood next to me, shaking his head.

"Can't even say hello to his Pops… oh, well. C'mon, kid, follow me."

I did as I was told, following Cid into a tent. Inside were the familiar desert camp style chairs, a cot in the corner, and all of the necessary provisions. I could hear the gentle hum of some of the other diggers' chatter. "So, uh, Cid… why exactly am I here?"

* * *

I laughed as I watched Telan playing with her feet on her little blanket in the center of the living room. It was lonely without Gippal, but not uncomfortable. I was accustomed to having him around once more, and though I missed him… I knew he'd come back. And that knowledge was golden.

As I watched the baby entertain herself on the floor, I grinned. A year ago, she hadn't even been a thought. The anniversary of the Eternal Calm would roll around in two weeks… along with the anniversary of the first time Gippal and I had made love. I knew, deep down, that our little girl had come into being that night. Nearly a year ago, this entire escapade had begun, and now, through all the trials and tribulations, I realized that it was beyond worth it. Telan kicked with a gurgle of joy on her blanket, and happiness flooded my heart.

I, Rikku, had never expected to feel this way so early in my life. I'd always wanted to have a family, but never so soon. Had you asked me where I'd be today a year ago, the last thing I would have said was the truth. I would have expected to be on yet another grand adventure, saving Spira from some new evil. I wouldn't have expected to be sitting on a couch in a little house in Djose, watching my daughter try to chew on her toes. If anyone had told me I'd have a beautiful three and a half month old infant, I would have laughed in their faces and told them they were insane.

But it had all been true, and though there was still that part of me that longed for adventure, a new kind of adventure had begun to overtake those cravings for fiend encounters and unsolvable mysteries, for fayths and spheres. I liked life as it was now. I liked having my baby with me. I liked having my boyfriend, her father, with me. I liked living in a little house, and I liked my job at the faction just as much as I had the year before. The Calm had come and I'd been bored, originally. But now _I_ was calm, and so The Calm didn't seem so bad. I knew I'd never become your typical housewife, settled down and always content just to clean the floors. That wasn't who I was. But I now understood why the summoners of old had died repeatedly for it. They'd wanted people to have the feelings I had now. They wanted people to have normalcy. And I was thankful and appreciative, understanding, of their sacrifice. Telan laughed. I smiled.

* * *

"Yer here to talk about business, kid. Special business."

"Yeah, I get that."

"Okay, then why're you askin' a question that you already know the answer to?"

I sighed heavily, rubbing my temples. I should have brought Rikku, after all. "Because I don't know what the special business is about, sir."

"Don't 'sir' me. Cid. C-I-D. Cid."

_Why does this family have such a problem with nicknames and title… thingies?_

"Cid. What's the special business about?"

"I have a hunch that you have a hunch, boy."

With a grin, I shook my head and watched as Cid went over to the small ice chest in the corner and took out two beers, tossing one in my direction. I caught it expertly and nodded as I twisted the cap off. "Yes, I have a hunch."

"Right, then. We're on the same page." Cid sat across from me, a grin on his gruff face. He pulled a small, shabby box out his pocket and held it up. I glanced at it, unsure of what it was. "This here is the best piece of metal ever to grace the sands of this island. And that's sayin' something."

I was in disbelief. I thought this would have something to do with Rikku, not with some random machina part he'd found out on the dig. "You called me out here to look at metal. All the way to Bikanel for a _part_! Cid, I've got work to do, and a family to spend time with, you couldn't have se-"

"Now, stop right there. Open the damn thing before you jump to conclusions, idiot kid." He tossed the little box to me rather carelessly, and I looked at it, scrutinizing the outward appearance. It couldn't have been that important if he'd put it in that… thing. I set my beer down and made to open the box.

Inside was something I'd never expected to see. A simple, elegant diamond ring, with three small, square stones imbedded in a bright silver band. Colored light shot out of the stones as I held the ring up; I looked over at Cid in shock, and he began to laugh in his usual gruff manner.

"It's not some junky part, kid. And I called you here to ask you when the hell you're proposing to my daughter, cuz I'm tired of waiting."

* * *

The CommSphere began to beep as I held Telan's bottle. I reached for it, accepting the call as I adjusted the infant in my arms. "Hello?"

Yuna grinned at me. "I know you've sent letters, but you could have called. Letters aren't the same."

I squealed happily at my cousin. I hadn't talked to her over CommSphere for weeks. The first time I'd spoken to her, I'd been in Bevelle. She'd called in every once in a while, but with Telan and Gippal and the faction, I was busy. "I'm so sorry, I just haven't had the time to sit down…"

"I know, I know, it's okay. You got your old job back, I hear?"

I grinned as Telan stared up at me, and moved the CommSphere so that Yuna could see her as well. My cousin gave off a happy laugh of joy and began to talk to the baby as she awaits my answer. "I did… it feels good to work again."

"Getting restless?"

"I was. You know me, I need to keep busy."

"And you aren't busy enough with that adorable little thing right there?"

"Well, I am, but she doesn't cry all that often, anymore…"

Yuna smiled with triumph. "I knew it."

"Shush. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted-" the two of us laughed "-she doesn't cry much anymore, and Gippal and I trade off."

"I can't imagine a baby in that noisy temple…"

"She likes it. It's kinda weird."

"Speaking of Gippal… where is he?" Telan squeezed on my fingers, and I bounced her softly.

"Bikanel, I guess. Someone called in this morning saying they had important business and he had to come straightaway. Brother took him out there this afternoon."

Yuna frowned. "You don't think-"

I made a face, and she stopped talking. "No! If he was meeting some girl, Brother would never have taken him. Brother agreed to take him a bit too easily, if you ask me."

She frowned again. "That's odd."

"Yeah, tell me about it. But he won't be gone for more than two days, so… no biggie."

Yuna sighed and rested her head against her arm. I noticed the familiar setting behind her… she was in Tidus' tent. _Why does that not surprise me_?

"So how are things with you and Mr. Machine Faction, hm?'

I blushed and smiled widely. "Fine…"

"Oooh! Fine isn't good enough! Where's the juicy details!"

"Yunie!"

"What? Spill it!"

"Spill what, there's nothing to spill!" I flushed heatedly as Telan suckled at her bottle, oblivious.

"Of course there is! Fine… I'll just have to interrogate you, then." She looked thoughtful for a moment, and then she grinned devilishly. "Has he stopped sleeping out on the couch?"

My face turned a new shade of red as I averted my gaze. "Yes."

"Has he returned to his bedroom, asking to stay with you?"

"… yes."

"Did you say yes?"

I rolled my eyes. "That was a horrible question."

"I know, of course you did." I grinned slightly, my face beginning to return to its normal color. "Have you two had sex yet?"

"_Yuna_!" My face began to burn again.

"Well?" she asked, her voice and mannerisms calm, her eyes dancing mischievously. "It's just a question."

"It's a very personal question."

"I'm your cousin. It's not like you didn't call me up the day after you guys first did it to fill me in. Now talk."

"… yes. We have."

She smiled wide. "And?"

Had the baby not been in my arms, I would have thrown my hands in the air in frustration. "What kind of a question is that! What am I supposed to say to 'and'? What does the 'and' imply?"

"The 'and' implies: how was it? It's a nice, subtle kind of question. And you're supposed to answer the 'and' as you would answer any other 'and'."

"… I don't like you right now."

"I know, but you still love me, so it's alright." I sighed heavily, smiling despite my dismay at Yuna, of all people, asking me these questions.

"It was nice."

Yuna took over my usual move and tossed her hands up, glaring at me. "Nice! All you can say is 'nice'!"

"Well… it was. Nice, that is."

"And!"

"And everything I remembered? Uhm… well… it was good. It is good." I was blushing softly, a bit embarrassed.

She grinned, nodding in satisfaction. "That's a _little_ better." She looked at me, blinking tentatively. "So… is it easier to know what good is, after the whole Baralai episode?"

With a sigh, I looked down at Telan, smoothing her hair back. "I guess. Sort of. But not really. I mean… you want honesty, here?" She nodded. "Baralai and Gippal… they're both good, but it's a different sort of good. You know? Like… Gippal… I love him. And that makes it even better. I didn't love Baralai, so then it was only good in the physical sense…" I blushed again. Yuna had a pink tint to her cheeks, as well. "So, yeah, I guess it is a bit different when you can compare, but there really isn't any comparing, anyway, so it doesn't even matter, and I kinda want to not talk about the whole Baralai thing…"

"Yeah, I understand." She was quiet for a second, watching as I ran my fingertip up and down Telan's nose, a method I often used to lull her to sleep. "So, back to Gippal… was it steamy?"

"Yuna…"

"Sorry, sorry…"

"It's been steamy. But not the first time. The first time was just kind of spur of the moment and laid-back, and nice… there's not really another word to use. And the second time was really gentle and lovey-dovey and all that… and then there was definite steam, yes." Yuna laughed along with me. "What about you and Tidus, hm, no condensation running down the walls?"

"Rikku!"

"I'm just asking. It's just a question!"

She blushed heavily. "No condensation, but steam, yes… I do hope we're speaking metaphorically."

"Yes, Yunie, we're speaking metaphorically."

"Oh, good. Well, yes, steam." She sighed heavily, a guilty sounding sigh. "Does this make me a bad high summoner?"

I laughed and shook my head, patting Telan's back as she drifted off. "Of course not! Why would it?"

"I don't know! It just seems like it would! I'm not engaged or married or anything! It just seems bad."

"I'm not either, and I have a baby."

"Yeah, well… you're different."

"How?"

"I don't know! You just are! Not in a bad way or anything, but…"

I sighed as she began to babble. "Yeah, yeah, I know what you mean. Don't worry Yunie. It doesn't make you a bad high summoner. It just makes you the sexy high summoner that all the little teenage boys dream about."

"_Rikku!_"

"… eh-heh."

* * *

_Ah, it took me so long… but I hope you all like it… ooh la la, a pretty ring… Thanks to **FairyIce**!_

_Please Review!_


	19. Nerves

_**The Echo  
**__**Chapter 19: Nerves**_

* * *

I stared at the little silver ring inside the old, worn down box. The diamonds that were set in sparkled incessantly, like a promise. It put me on edge. I continually glanced up at my office door. If Rikku came in, I'd have to be quick in sneaking the little box back into its hiding place in the back of a desk drawer. I'd taken care to design this specific desk drawer so that all the boxes full of paperclips looked close to the box that held my most precious and aggravating possession, and I'd take care to place this box in the very back. I knew Rikku. Her attention span would wane after looking through the first few boxes of very similar paper clips. If someone tipped her off, which no one could, because the only people who knew were myself, her brother, and her father, and none of us would tell her… then she wouldn't look for long. Sure, Rikku may be smarter than that, but smart does not equal patience, thank Ixion.

Telan gurgled at me from the playpen, and I just about had a heart attack. Instantly, I shut up the box and went to replace it in it's niche in the drawer. She couldn't see it! No one could see it, no one cou- I laughed. _What the hell is wrong with me? Will she suddenly learn to talk and tell Rikku everything? That there's a pretty ring hidden in my desk drawer?_

I set the box down in front of me, sitting ominously in the middle of the desk. I chuckled at myself, but I couldn't ignore the nervous sweat on my forehead as I wiped it away with my sleeve. "I'm going insane…" I muttered, looking over at the baby with a sigh. "Don't you think I'm going insane?" She smiled and squealed, kicking her feet as she stared up at the ceiling. "Thanks, sweetie… I knew you'd agree."

* * *

I sat on the top of a huge new hover, mask over my eyes, welding torch in hand. Karaa stood next to me, perching atop a ladder, a mask covering her face as well. With a grin, I placed a piece of metal atop the cross sections of two others. Karaa reached out and held it up, laughing. "Aren't you glad you left Telan with her father today?"

"Yeah, I don't think she would have liked sitting up here with us."

Karaa laughed. "Yeah, me either. How many sheets of that scrap metal do we have left?"

I took a quick glance to the side before sending sparks flying from the torch as I placed it against the metal. "Five."

"Oh, good, just enough to last us until shutdown." She shifted her gloved hands on the piece of metal she was supporting as I torched the edges, melting the two pieces together.

"Hand me that scraper-thingie."

"Here ya go." I took a strong piece of titanium from her and smoothed the red hot metal, making sure none of it fell into the wiring beneath. The two of us quieted as I continually welded the sheet of metal to the others that I'd done that afternoon. Hours passed in the same fashion, both of us taking turns with the torch, chatting the time away. I remembered my time here all those months ago with a smile. I'd missed working. I just hadn't realized how much.

* * *

Rainbows of color played over the ceiling as I looked at the ring in the lamplight, listening to the lightning playing around the temple. The jewels really were beautiful. They were so clear, unclouded by all the years. Rikku's eyes were that way.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts, watching anxiously as the light made the stones shine in sheer brilliance. I turned the light off for a moment, calming as the colors left the ceiling. But I couldn't leave it alone, and I turned the lamp on again, holding the ring closer to it so that the ceiling would glow again. Telan looked up. "Ooooooh…"

"Yeah, baby, it's pretty, isn't it?" I said absently, watching the light as well. The ring was light in my hands, warm. I kept trying to tell myself that it was only a ring, only a piece of metal and gemstone, the same as many of the machines scattered throughout the temple, the same as the sparkling diamond edged saws we used to cut through the hardest of materials. But it wasn't. It wasn't just a ring.

The beautiful little creation was a symbol of something sacred, or so Cid had said. It had been a symbol of the love shared between him and Rikku's mother, and now it would serve as a symbol of the love shared between me and Rikku. But that's what scared me.

Before Cid had called me to Bikanel, I hadn't even given marriage a thought. It just seemed too soon… much too soon. I had been comfortable as things were. We were finally adjusted. Telan was on a sleeping schedule, and we were used to having her around. Rikku and I went to work together every day, trading off on baby duty. We came home from work, the three of us spent some time together. Telan went to sleep, Rikku and I would have dinner or go out together while Karaa or Brother watched the baby, and when we came home, we'd go to bed. I'd wrap my arms around her and she'd lie close to me. I was comfortable with that. Things were simple, and I liked it. But now… now this ring showed me exactly how un-simple everything really was.

A year ago, had someone asked me if I wanted to marry Rikku, I would have said something along the lines of 'maybe, but not for a long, long time'. Six months ago, I would have said 'yes, but obviously she left, so she doesn't want me'. Four months ago, I would have said 'yes, if she wakes up, that's all I want'. And now… I couldn't think of what to say. Of course I wanted to marry Rikku, but was this the right time? Was it too soon? Had I waited too long? What if she was comfortable, too, and she didn't want it, or… what if she wasn't comfortable at all, but only pretending to be so that I wouldn't get upset? Why in the hell would she even pretend so that I wouldn't get upset if she didn't care? Wait… how could I think she didn't care? Of course she cared… right?

I set the ring back down in its box and closed it up, turning off the lamp. The darkness calmed me… until I looked at the box again. With a pathetic whine, I rubbed my temples, curling up in my chair with a miserable groan. "I'm such an idiot…"

* * *

I bid goodbye to Karaa as I walked down the short hall to Gippal's office. The door was closed as I approached it, and I barged in without further ado.

Gippal looked up at me uncertainly, his visible eye widening. He closed a desk drawer and leaned back in his chair, eyeing me warily. "Cid's girl… you could have knocked, y'know."

"I don't need to knock. It's too much fun to scare the shit out of you." I grinned cheekily as I walked over to him. He continually watched me, glancing back and forth at the drawer he'd just closed. I could hear Telan chattering away to herself in the playpen, and I grinned. "Was she good?"

"She's always good." He seemed tense. I sat atop the desk, which was, for once, bare of any and all paper work. "How was the welding?" he asked distractedly.

"Fun, actually. I'd forgotten how much I missed being up in the perilous places, putting things together and all that..." He only nodded, watching me uncertainly. He glanced back at the drawer he'd shut, and I sighed heavily before sliding off the desk and sitting on his lap.

"What are you doing?" I reached forward, pulling out the drawer as I glanced back at him. He paled slightly and watched as I peeked inside. "There's nothing in there, really…"

I reached into the drawer and pulled out one of the boxes from the back. His face paled even more. "You alright, Gippal? You look sick?"

"No… no… it's just… just hot in here, that's all."

With a sigh, I opened the little box and peered inside at the paper clips that rested within. "Ah, I understand…" He sighed as I reached for the paperclip holder that sat atop his desk, his color returning slowly as I poured the contents of the little box into the holder. "There. Paperclips restored in full."

He grinned at me softly, his shoulders still tense. "Thanks, Rikki…" I turned around and straddled his lap in his large desk chair, smiling widely.

"No problem." Gently, I placed my hands on his shoulders and began to rub. "Did you have a hard day or something?"

"… you might say that."

"What'd you do?"

"I thought too much."

"Well, that much is evident from the steam streamin' out of your ears. What else did you do?" I asked with a giggle. He cracked a genuine grin.

"That's not nice, Cid's girl."

"I know, I'm sorry." With a sigh, I kissed his cheek softly, running my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck in a comforting manner. He leaned into the touch. Gently, I caught his lips in a swift and soft kiss, before pulling away and setting my head on his shoulder. "Don't be stressed, okay?"

"I'll try my best." I sighed softly with a smile as he pulled me closer to him, running his fingers through my hair. In that gentle manner that was always unexpected from him, he tucked a lock of hair behind my ear and kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry, sweetheart…"

I lifted my head up, looking him in the eyes. "For what?"

"Being jumpy. I don't… I don't want to be jumpy." I saw something in his eyes, but I couldn't place it. Instead, I smiled and kissed him softly again. He sighed and set his head on my shoulder, breathing in deeply.

"It's okay to be jumpy."

He sighed heavily, squeezing me as he nuzzled my neck. "… thank you…"

* * *

Rikku had taken the baby back to the house fifteen minutes before. I sat behind my desk in the darkness of my office, staring at the walls as I tapped my fingers on the desktop. I'd calmed down for a few moments, when she was in my arms, comforting me when she didn't even know why I was so nervous, patient as she was with our little girl. But then she'd gone, and now… I needed to talk.

I looked at the glowing blue CommSphere in the corner of the desk, and after a moment of uncertainty, I picked it up, searching through the dial menu for Bevelle. Baralai would understand, he al- _I can't talk to Baralai. Not after what he did…_

With an angered sigh, I redirected my attention to the menu. Who could I talk to? Brother would laugh at me again. Cid would laugh at me again… and besides, Cid slightly frightened me, so I wouldn't talk to him in any case. Nooj would grunt and tell me he didn't have time to listen, but would stay on the line and listen anyway. Then LeBlanc would pop in, CommSphere in hand, and dial Rikku up, and break my cover as Nooj told me it wasn't anything to worry about and to stop being a baby. No, not calling Nooj. That would be a situation out of a bad nightmare.

The words 'Besaid directory' highlighted under my finger, and I cocked my head to the side uncertainly. With slight interest, I tapped the screen, and names popped up on the directory. Lulu and Wakka… I couldn't talk to Wakka about this. The man was good at calming me down, but… calling up Wakka would just be awkward. Tidus. Now there was a guy that I could chat about this with. He'd listen, he'd laugh with me, not at me… I was decided. I selected his name and waited as the sphere waves connected.

He answered with a laugh. "Hey, Rik-" he paused for a moment "Gippal?"

"Yeah…"

"Hey, how've you been? Long time no chat… sorry, I just assumed that the call was from Djose and it would be Rikku, but I should have realized that other people could be calling from the same area, that was kin-"

"Tidus, man… shut up."

"Heh, okay. I'm rambling a lot today."

"Yeah… me too." We laughed, and I sighed uncomfortably.

On the screen, Tidus looked a little confused. "So, uh… something wrong? You never call, this is kinda, you know… out of the blue."

I shook my head and waved my hands around, sitting back in my chair. "No, no, nothing's wrong. But I did call for a reason. I need to talk to someone before I pull my hair out."

"You sound like a chick, dude."

"Pathetic, I know… but I'm serious."

Tidus just laughed for a moment before calming down and leaning back in his chair. "Okay, what do you need to chat about, missy?"

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Rikku."

"Of course, of course, how did I know that was coming? What about her?"

I sighed heavily. "Cid called me to Bikanel the other day…"

"Uh-oh…"

"Exactly. He's scary, even if I like to pretend he isn't."

"Yeah, he's scary. Ever seen him with an airship full of missiles?"

I whistled appreciatively. "No, thank the Fayth."

"I'm not so lucky... but, anyway, carry on. What did he want to talk about?"

"He gave me something." With a whine, I turned away from the CommSphere and pulled that something out of the drawer.

"Something? What some- woah… shiny." I held up the ring for him to see, a slightly miserable expression on my face. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yeah. He wants to know when I'm going to propose. I guess he's tired of waiting. But honestly?"

"Honestly what? Don't you want to propose? I'm sure you do." Tidus was carefully analyzing the ring, his voice more serious now that he'd seen the catalyst of my frustration.

"Of course I do, but really, I didn't even think about it until he gave me this! I was comfortable where we were, and now… now I'm kinda like a nervous wreck on steroids." Tidus chuckled at me. "I'm not joking! Telan made a noise earlier while I was looking at the thing and I was all startled and looking around. Not good!"

"No, not good, but… expected." Tidus sighed heavily for a moment, tapping his finger on the CommSphere. "You, mister, need to think about what you want."

"I think I already know what I want."

"Okay, then ask the girl to marry you."

"Yeah, but… Tidus, what if she doesn't want to marry me? What if she's just staying here and living with me out of pity? What if-"

"Man, shut up. Would Rikku of all people stay with you if she didn't want to?"

"No…"

"Would she have even risked having a baby with you if she didn't want to be with you?"

"I guess not…"

"Would she turn you down?"

"… my mind and my heart are not in agreement on the answer to that question, Ti."

He sighed heavily and threw his hands up in the air in aggravation. "There's always the possibility, yes, but she won't tell you no. I spent too many hours lying with her on a very cold beach in some very cold sand staring up at a very dark sky talking about _you_ for her to say no."

I began to laugh at that statement, and he nodded in satisfaction. "So she won't say no, then?"

"No, she's gonna say yes. I know she's gonna say yes."

"How do you know that?"

"The same way you do. She's Rikku." He looked at me with a smile on his face. "Listen, Gippal… back during the pilgrimage… the first time I met her, I knew that there was something about her, you know? This honesty that just played on her emotions and was completely unintended. It's just something about her. You can read what she feels, you know, and I know that she loves you. She saved my life back then. I love her, too, you know, she's my best friend. She deserves the best, to get what she wants. And she wants you. So ask her, already, and stop stressing out over it."

I grinned, breathing out a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good… at least I know I have your approval, now."

"You're an idiot if you thought you didn't have my approval."

"Gee, thanks." I placed the ring back in the box and was putting it back inside the drawer when his next question startled me.

"So, you two sleepin' together yet?"

"Excuse me!" I asked, the expression on my face slightly horrified.

"You heard me. Just answer the question."

"How would you like it if I asked you about you and Yuna, hm?"

"I'd grin widely and say 'yes, indeed, we are, and it's good'." And proceeded to grin widely.

I began to laugh heartily, and he joined in. Once the laughter died down a long moment later, he tapped his foot impatiently. "Well?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And it's just as good as it used to be. Better, actually."

"Oooh, steamy." I laughed at him again and shrugged, blushing a bit. Really, I never talked to anyone about this kind of thing.

"Kinda, yeah."

"Well, see, there's another reason not to be stressed out. Sex is good, love is there, ring is in hand… I say go for it."

I nodded and he grinned back. "Thanks, man."

"Hey, no problem. And we'd better see the two of you down here in two weeks for the celebration."

"Oh, right… Eternal Calm…"

"Yep. Yuna will be thoroughly depressed if you aren't here, so… bring her cousin, this year. I know that Rikku wasn't here last year, so… it would be nice for all of us to be together again on that day, you know? "

I grinned. "Yeah… count on us being there."

* * *

_Okay, so, this chapter done… next one will be up next week sometime. Hopefully I can get two done next week, because of Thanksgiving, but I have to wait til I finish my college apps! See you, thanks for all the reviews and for reading. Thanks to **FairyIce**!_

_Please Review!_


	20. A Different Light

_**The Echo  
**__**Chapter 20: A Different Light**_

* * *

_I looked out over the sand from the very top of one of the towers that lay in ruin. The beach rolled out beneath me, and I watched as children built little temples in the sand near the water line. They looked so tiny from where I sat. My skin was pale against the tan coloring of the old ruin, and I shivered despite the sunlight that rained down on me from the sky. _

_A few weeks had passed since I'd left Djose. I wasn't happy, despite what I told everyone. I continually insisted that I was fine. No one believed me. In the early morning sunlight, I groaned as I felt the familiar nausea returning. I didn't want to be sick again, as was the usual. It was worse now than it had been those weeks before in Djose… before I knew that I was pregnant. When I'd believed I was only sick. _

_A lone figure approached from the path to the village, his hands clapping together, blond hair shining in the light. He climbed the wall with ease, looking as springy as I usually did. I wanted to feel like that now, but as the world began to spin, I closed my eyes in silent misery. I wouldn't feel better for hours, that was for sure. Especially not after seeing Tidus' hair glinting in the sun. It only reminded me of Bikanel, of Gippal's own glinting blond as we laughed and lounged at the Oasis…_

"_Rikku… why're you hiding out up here? You can't get away from me, how many times do I have to tell you?" Tidus peeked over the side of the ruin, pulling himself up onto the ledge as swiftly as he could. I peered up at him for an instant, taking in the concern on his face before closing my eyes miserably once more. "Rikku, what's wrong? Are you okay?"_

_I just sighed in response. "It's okay… I'll be fine as long as I… sit still…"_

_He came over to me quickly as I lay sprawled on the ledge, spinning in circles whenever I opened my eyes. "No, you're not fine, you look like you're going to throw up."_

"_And if I open my eyes, I will…" I said, trying to make an attempt at humor and failing miserably. _

"_Do I need to go and get Lulu or someone?" he asked, completely off guard.  
_

"_No… this usually happens, that's why I'm not up before noon… I thought I'd be okay today…" I closed my mouth and covered it with my hand as the bile threatened to come up. I could just imagine my skin turning a sickly tinge of green. _

_Tidus scrambled over to me as I rolled over, opening my eyes and staring over the edge as I gripped the ledge tightly. I couldn't help it as my body rejected the small bit of breakfast that I'd risked. Tidus pulled my hair away from my face, gentle and concerned as my tiny body bucked with the dry heaving that resulted from the lack of anything else to give up. _

_I coughed heavily for a few moments, resting my suddenly hot forehead against the cool stone. My breathing was heavy for a long while, as I tried to stop the sickness from coming again. Tidus lightly caressed my arm, comforting me as I rested there silently, my eyes closed against the bright sunlight. When I felt like I could move once more, I opened my eyes for only a few seconds, before I rolled over and placed my head in Tidus' lap. _

"_Rikku… you alright?" he asked softly, running his fingers through my hair in an effort to comfort me. _

"_No… no, I'm not. But I'll be okay. Just give me a little while…" I whispered, clinging to him tightly. Hot tears began to streak down my cheeks, making glistening trails from my eyes to my chin. _

_I lay in his grasp, dizzy and nauseated, until the ledge was covered in shadow._

* * *

I stretched out on my bed in the cabin of the Celsius, looking up at the huge screen that Brother had installed over the stage. He was cheering down at the bar, for the Al Bhed Psyches had just scored over the Besaid Aurochs. Hard metal music was playing, flooding the cabin with noise. Gippal was cheering along with Brother. I was glad that Buddy had asked to take Telan for a little while so that we could relax in the cabin. Inwardly, I groaned. Tidus looked absolutely pissed on the big screen as he gave hand signals to the rest of the team about their next play. "Captain of the Aurochs, Tidus, looks like he's going to go strong on the offensive, folks… I have a feeling this game isn't going to be pretty from here on out…" The commentator's voice echoed through the cabin as advertisements quickly flashed over the game during the timeout.

"Drinksh for you?" I could hear Barkeep and Darling pouring more into Gippal and Brothers' glasses. _I kinda want some…_

"Man, I feel kind of guilty not cheering for Tidus."

"I don't. This is the first time _our_ team has gotten so far in the Gold Cup finals for years. We should win. They won the Luca Tournament last year, we all know they're all right. We have to prove ourselves!" Brother was practically yelling at the top of his lungs, and I rolled my eyes and stood, placing a hand on the railing.

"I think we've already done that!" I called down, a grin on my face, my hand on my hip.

He glanced over at me as I jumped down from the top level. The landing was a little more jarring than it had been about a year ago, but, I told myself, with practice, I'd be a pro again. "We haven't proven ourselves completely. The only way to do that is to win one of these Yevonite dominated tournaments!" He chugged at his glass of beer in triumph as Gippal and I gave knowing glances to one another. It was best not to fight with him when he was dead set on something.

"Whatever you say, bro. I'm going on deck… you boys have fun watching the game. I don't like seeing Tidus that pissed off. Reminds me of when he kicked Seymour's ass that one time at Macalania… he wasn't a happy camper. Our boy's will be hurting if they get in his way, I guarantee it." With that, I walked out of the cabin and down the long hall to the elevator. I tapped the button that would take me up to the deck and waited as the elevator took me up.

The doors opened in front of me, and I looked out over the expanse of red. I smiled as I remembered the night we performed out on the deck, when Yuna had started yelling about Lenne and we all looked at her as if she were insane. Slowly, I strolled over the deck toward the statue of the seagull that had once been our mascot. The clouds rolled by as we flew through the skies, our pace much more moderate than it had been back in our sphere hunting days. I plopped down without any form of grace in front of the seagull, my legs splayed in a wide V. I leaned down on my elbows and smiled as the warm sunlight hit my face. Beneath us, the landscape was beginning to change from the dark red rocks of the Mushroom Rock area to the lush green landscape of the Mi'ihen Highroad. I'd always marveled at how small everything seemed up here. The ocean went off in an endless arc on the left side of the airship as we followed the coastline north to Luca.

I was nervous about our return to Besaid. It was true, Gippal would be with me, but… would I be willing to leave it again? Lulu had once said that it was the perfect island for families… I could see Telan's bright blue-green eyes that were so much like Gippal's when I imagined the warm ocean currents surrounding the beach. I hadn't seen my cousin and my friends in three and a half months, since I'd left to find Gippal. Would I want to stay with them for longer than the planned two weeks?

I would never leave Gippal again, that I knew for sure. Even if I wanted to stay, I'd go with him back to Djose… but for some reason, I had a nervous flutter in my stomach. As I stared down at the ground I'd walked over so many times, I wondered… _Why do things feel like they're going to change again?_

* * *

Rikku and I walked off the Celsius and onto the Al Bhed dock as the Psyches walked toward their old salvage ship, which had been revamped, decorated, and stylized with the team name and colors. Rikku sniggered as one of them nursed his arm, and I smacked her arm lightly. "Be nice."

"I told you Tidus kicks people's asses when he gets mad."

"He _was_ evil as all hell…"

"I know. You haven't seen him fight."

"Do I want to?"

"… I always find it highly entertaining. Except for that one time when I was in that Summoner's Sanctum machine thingy at the Moonflow. I couldn't walk straight for days." She walked lightly, her step bouncing as we walked toward the locker rooms. The game had just ended, and we'd arranged to pick Tidus up before we went on to Besaid. As I watched her run up the stairs ahead of me, I realized that she must have been holding energy in the entire time we'd been in Djose. She was positively exploding with it now. She vanished from sight as she ran down the stairwell into the locker room corridor.

"That's my girl…" I whispered to myself, sighing with a grin.

"TIDUS!" I heard, an echo that grew louder as I walked down the stairs. "Oh, I missed you!" And a crash… I winced.

"Oof… Rikku! It's good to see you, too!" I laughed as they came into view, hugging each other tightly in the hall. Tidus' hair was still damp from the blitz sphere, and he waved at me as I approached. "You watch the game?"

Rikku pulled back and jumped up and down excitedly. "Yes! When they made those three goals in a row before the end of the first half… oh, you looked so angry! I told them, didn't I Gippal, I said that you'd win it!" I laughed loudly again as she squealed and hugged him again. Tidus was laughing loudly, as well.

"She did say that…" I said, clapping Tidus on the shoulder in a form of hello as Rikku scanned the corridor for any other familiar faces. He looked pointedly at her hand and gave me an annoyed look. I just shrugged helplessly.

Rikku turned her attention back to Tidus when no one else turned up. She began to chatter about all that had been happening, and as the two of them took off into a completely matching mode of animation, I saw something that I hadn't seen before. She and Tidus had a perfect relationship with one another. They were so close in both action and friendship that they were as good as soul mates in my eyes. They were connected, and I'd known that ever since Telan was born… but I didn't mind. Instead of choosing Tidus… she'd chosen me. That had to mean something.

For a moment, as I watched them laughing, she looked back at me and met my eyes, and all my nervousness was gone.

* * *

Yuna ran at me and hugged me as I ran onto the beach from the shallow waters of the cove. "Oh, Rikku, I missed you…" We pulled apart and stared at each other for a moment before laughing. Her eyes were shining with happiness.

"Hey, Yuna! Look at this gorgeous little girl right here!" Tidus called out, pointing to the Telan, who was all dressed in yellow for this special occasion with little clips in her white blond hair. She looked like a perfect little angel in Gippal's arms. Yuna looked at me with wide eyes, and I posed proudly.

"Yep, that's my baby."

"She got so big! Oh my gosh… I can't believe it! And she's holding her head up by herself and everything!"

Gippal handed Telan over to Tidus and gave Yuna a huge grin before hugging her tightly. "Hey, you… how ya been?"

She laughed and hugged him back. "Great! And you look good, yourself!"

"Yep." He glanced over at Telan and cocked his head to the side. "What do you think? I even did the hairclips."

Yuna giggled along with me and nodded. "She looks great. Give her to me, Ti."

"Nope, baby's mine. You can have her later."

"I want her now!"

"Nope. Mine." Tidus glanced over at the two of us, and with a pointed look at Gippal, he began to walk away. "You two chill for a while, have some time… _alone_. I'm kidnapping your daughter."

Gippal glared at him for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you drop my girl, you're a dead man."

"I won't drop her! Who the hell do you think I am, Wakka?"

All four of us laughed at that, and as Yuna and Tidus walked off across the beach bickering over who got to hold Telan, I looked over to Gippal, my eyes sparkling.

"Come with me… I wanna show you something." I tugged on his hand and pulled him along across the sand.

He looked to where Yuna and Tidus were swiftly vanishing as they walked toward the village. "We just got here… don't you want to see Lulu and Wakka?" He stuck a hand into his pocket as I continued to drag him across the sand.

"I'll see them soon… just come on." He sighed heavily and shook his head as he stopped resisting my pulling and ran with me. I hadn't known that I even possessed enough energy to run any longer, let alone gallivant around the island, but as I led him along the hidden path to the west side of the island, I wasn't even winded.

I stopped running when I reached the end of the path. I could hear Gippal coming down the path behind me. "Come on, slowpoke…"

The entire grassy slope was bright with the sunset, oranges and pinks making the island glow. Far below was a deep cove. Wakka had once told me that 700 years ago, Sin had come and attacked the island, leaving this huge indent in the cliff face. I was grateful for that attack, because without it, none of the beauty that rested here would have been created. Far above were the rope bridge and the pathway to the village. The tallest waterfall in Besaid fell all the way to the cove, occasionally catching in other rock faces. Numerous waterfalls rained down on the side of the island, a glowing flourish of liquid that followed the entire cliff. Gippal finally emerged from the undergrowth, catching his breath. "Damn, Rikku, you run like a mad- woah." His eyes were wide as he looked out at the waterfalls, which were glowing in the light of the sun.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

He nodded and sat down next to where I stood, staring ahead at the natural wonders of Besaid Island. I sat next to him. "How did you find this place?"

"The little kids showed it to me a long time ago… I used to sit here when I was thinking about you." He wrapped his arm around me, distractedly sticking his hand into his pocket once more as he turned toward me. He was quiet for a long moment.

Finally, he cleared his throat and gave me a tiny grin. "Special place, hm?"

"Yep!" I frowned and held my hand against his forehead. "You okay? You're all quiet. And I know, you, Mister, you're not a quiet person."

"I'm fine…" he said, glancing out at the waterfalls again. "Rikku?" He turned toward me.

"Yes?" I asked, waiting patiently as he looked out at the scenery.

"I, uhm… well, I just… this place is gorgeous." I almost thought I saw the shadow of a blush graze over his cheeks, but before I could be sure, he broke out the lady killer smile. "Just like you."

"Oh, you… I hate that." He smirked as I pulled him closer to me and kissed him soundly. "It gets me every time…"

* * *

I watched the women fawning over Telan in the big circle around the camp fire. Rikku held her up proudly, and I could hear Telan's excited squealing as Yuna tickled her. Mentally, I smacked myself. I'd had the perfect opportunity, and then I'd gotten nervous yet again. The waterfalls, the sunset, the whole atmosphere… yeah, just how I'd wanted to propose. I wanted everything perfect for her. But I was stupid. I messed up again.

I could always re-create it… couldn't I? It wouldn't be too difficult to get her back there at sunset. No, it wouldn't be difficult at all, but it would be planned… I felt a hand clap heavily on my shoulder, and I allowed myself to be steered into Tidus' hut without a word.

"You, my friend, are the biggest little chocobo chicklet that I've _ever_ met." I nodded, staring at the floor, wincing.

"Yeah, shut up."

"What are you waitin' for, ya? Just ask her!" I looked up quickly and glared at Tidus. Wakka and Brother were sitting on the couch, as well.

"You told Wakka?"

"No, that would be your future brother-in-law." And so I glared at Brother. "Why didn't you ask her? I took the baby, even! I fought with Yuna over the baby so that you could do your thing, but no."

I plopped down on the couch, feigning anger to cover my embarrassment. "You try it and see how intimidating it is!"

Wakka glanced at me and nodded in acquiescence. "Ya, the kid has a point."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

* * *

I handed Telan to Lulu once she fell asleep, as the gathering around the center fire began to disperse. Yuna stood with her, chatting about the party in three days time to celebrate the Eternal Calm. I walked across the now quiet village and stared at the village gates. I could almost see the ghosts of my arrival here nearly a year ago, my silent vigil outside the gates of the village as I watched the people dancing in joy around the fire. I left the village, walking up the pathway to the beach. Quietly, looking out over the dark ocean that glittered with the reflection of the sparkling sky, I leaned on the old traditional prayer statue.

For me, the realization that Telan would have been with me for a year in a certain way on the anniversary of our defeat of Sin had been slightly overwhelming. I was positive that she'd been conceived that first time we'd made love after the party last year. We'd come so far. Last year, we'd been teenagers with responsibility… now we were adults with even more responsibility. Gippal would be turning twenty in three months time. I'd be nineteen in six months. Telan would be one in eight months. Time was flying, or so it seemed to me. It was difficult to adjust to time when it repeatedly went from hyper-drive to speeding snail.

I heard a stick snap nearby and I looked up quickly. I'd forgotten to bring any sort of protection from the wild wolves that still roamed this side of the island. But when I saw that it was only Gippal, I calmed down and scooted over, patting the soft earth next to me. "You scared me."

"Sorry." He sat down next to me and kissed my cheek smoothly. "Didn't mean to."

"S'alright."

He ran his hand through his hair and looked out over the ocean as well. "I saw you walk off… you alright?"

"Yeah… I'm alright. Just thinking."

He laughed, a sound I always loved to hear. "Uh-oh, we're all in trouble now." I smacked him lightly and chuckled.

"Be nice to me."

"Can't… it's not possible. The teasing can only progress from here, my darling."

I flushed happily at that. "Since when do you call me 'darling'?" I asked, my voice playfully mocking.

"I could call you my little hyperactive idiot instead, but for some reason I think you might hit me for that." I smacked him again. "And thus why I called you darling." He fiddled around in his pocket for a moment before holding out a shining coin. "Gil for your thoughts?"

I took the coin from his hand and held it up under the moonlight. "You're turning twenty, I'm turning nineteen, and Telan will be one in eight months. Time's moving along… I remember, when I was pregnant… it felt like it was crawling. There was this one day when I was out on those ruins over there-" I pointed "-and Tidus followed me, and I was getting sicker and sicker by the day… I ended up getting ill all morning, and he just held me tight while I rested. It felt like a lifetime."

He frowned. "I wish you would have let me have been there for you… Time was crawling for me, too. I missed all of it, and other people got to… nevermind, I'm sorry."

I caught his fingers in mine and frowned back, my eyes sad. "Don't apologize for that. I deserve to hear it, because you're right." With a sigh, I looked back at the dark water. "I wish there was a way to stabilize it all, you know? And a way to turn things back or forward…"

"Me, too," he said wistfully, watching the stars twinkling far above. "So, you feel like time's moving too quickly, now?"

"Yeah… like… everything's happening too fast… I don't know. It's stupid, I just…" I turned to him and held my knees into my chest, resting my chin upon them. "Do you ever get that weird anticipation feeling, and you don't know why?"

He met my gaze for a few seconds. "Yeah. All the time."

"Well, I've got it right now, and it's getting stronger and stronger, and things are moving faster and faster, and I just don't know where it's all going."

He held my eyes for a long while before I broke the stare and lay back on the ground, my head resting in his lap as I watched the stars. "Where do you want it to go?" he asked, his voice tentative and deep, serious.

I sighed and closed my eyes, breathing deeply in the cool night air. "I don't know, really. I just don't know." He trailed his fingers through my hair distractedly as we both looked up at the heavens… I didn't even notice when I dozed off.

* * *

_I'm so sorry this took so long. Things just kept popping up. My great-grandmother died, and I wasn't able to write, school picked up and I wasn't able to write… everything's just picked up. But, now that I'm back in order, and school is almost done for the semester, I'll be updating quite a bit. I think I might finish this fic before Christmas Break is over. And guess what? I think there might be another sequel. Exciting! Anyway… thanks for dealing with the wait, guys, I'm so sorry. You are all amazing reviewers, I love when you all leave comments, it helps me get through the hard stuff. I hope you liked this chapter. I especially like that last section, its so real! Thanks so much to **FairyIce** for reading and giving commentary and correcting all my unusually bad spelling. I'm sorry for reading that fic when I said I wouldn't, lol, but when Cloud Strife is involved I can't resist. You got me addicted. Alright… finals tomorrow, and an autobiography to finish. Goodnight, and thanks!_

_Please Review!_


	21. Calm

_**The Echo  
**__**Chapter 21: Calm**_

* * *

_I could hear her whistling upon the wind, a faint and desperate trail of sound, calling out over empty waters for someone that would not come. Someone that could not. It was like a testimony to all of it, the last painful months. Yuna had continually called for something that wasn't real, something that, in all truth, wasn't there. She continued to do so. And I was right along with her, my heart filled to bursting with painful hope… my eyes filling with tears at every whistle. _

_From where I stood, on the docks, I could see her clearly. She was alone as we guardians had ever allowed her to be. I continued to watch over her, even now, when danger was virtually erased. The only thing I could not protect her from was her grief. Her body was shaking with the sobs she wouldn't let surface, her proud summoner's stance shrinking as the morning went on. _

_I leaned against the cold, cool marble piling behind me in an attempt for the cold stone to soothe my nerves. Her sharp whistle cut through my attempts as she tried once again. Her long sleeves flew behind her in the breeze off the water. The lack of urgency in the air was beginning to frighten me. Nothing was ever this calm… nothing had ever been. I didn't remember the last Calm, I was much to young to know what it felt like to have no worry. I was Al Bhed… even in the Calm, I would not have known rest. Her whistle was as I felt… despairing, urgent, and anguished, all at once. Hope was there, but slowly, her whistles were growing less determined and more shrilly._

_Quiet footsteps echoed down the walkway. I glanced up, wiping my eyes as Lulu approached. _

"_How is she?" she asked quietly, watching our summoner with concerned eyes. _

"_Not too good…" I answered, sniffling quietly as I watched Yuna staring out at the ocean. _

"_And you?"_

"… _I'll be okay. I'm just worried about Yunie." Lies, woven with truth. Lulu saw through it. _

"_It's time… the stadium is full.. Sphere cameras are everywhere. I don't know if she'll be able to handle it."_

_We watched her silently for a moment. "As long as they don't mention the fact that we're two less in size, I think we can make it through the speech…" _

_Normally, the maesters would announce the coming of the Calm. We'd survived them, this time. There were none left. The summoner who was responsible could announce it now, thanks to the dream we'd seen fade. As I watched Lulu walking towards Yuna, I couldn't help but think that the dream was burning more brightly than I'd ever seen it burn before, despite the fade. _

_They conversed quickly, and Yuna followed her after one last glance out to sea. Lulu passed me, leading the way toward the stadium doors. I gave Yuna a gentle hug before taking my place in the rear. We entered the elevator that would take us to the top box without another word. The doors opened and we stepped forward, Yuna in the lead. Kimahri and Wakka waited for us, standing to the side. Yuna stepped forward to the microphone that was ready and waiting. The blast of cheering from the stands hit me like a gust of wind as I took my place just behind her on the left. _

_We were without the two of them, Tidus and Auron… I knew we would suffer for it. For a moment, though, as I looked out at the thousands that were packed into the stadium, I understood. We'd lost them, and these people had gained. Each of them was given a life for our loss. I smiled… for a few minutes, our suffering and loss were worth it. But only for a few minutes. I smiled encouragingly at Yuna. _

"_Everyone… everyone has lost something precious. Everyone here has lost homes, dreams, and friends. Everybody. Now, Sin is finally dead." The people began to clap out in the stands, and I looked steadily ahead at all of them, listening as my cousin's voice cut through the air. "Now, Spira is ours again. Working together, we can make new homes for ourselves, and new dreams. Although I know the journey will be hard, we have lots of time. Together, we will rebuild Spira. The road is ahead of us, so let's start out today." _

_The crowd burst into wild applause at this, and I smiled at her once more when she looked back uncertainly. Her eyes scanned the four of us, gazing at the two empty places beside Lulu and Kimahri that should have been occupied. She turned back to the thundering crowd. "Just one more thing…"_

_I waited as she took in a hesitant breath. The familiar stature of her confident summoner self returned for a moment as she began to speak, immediately silencing the crowd. "The people and the friends that we have lost… or the dreams that have faded…" I took in a sharp breath as she paused. A lone pyrefly brushed her cheek, and she smiled sadly at it, her eyes shining with hope, sadness, and accomplishment. "Never forget them." _

_And with that, she stared out at the people for a moment, and with a graceful turn, stepped out of the light and back to the four guardians that remained. We five alone knew what had transpired and what healing truly meant. We five alone exited the stadium together, in a silence that didn't need words, but only appreciation. _

* * *

Quietly, I made sure that Telan was sleeping soundly in her crib. Wakka and Lulu had gone already, and tucked little Vidina in with her. The two were resting quietly together, facing each other as they slept. I smiled softly, and looked toward the soundly sleeping Gippal on my bed. With a lasting glance, I pushed the linen aside and walked into the main room of Tidus' hut. He stood there, waiting for me, a serious look on his face. With a whisper he held the door flap open. "They left half an hour ago." The two of us walked into the village square, which was eerily empty in the pre-dawn light.

"Where are they waiting?" I asked, hesitant to disturb the silence with my own whispering voice.

"The statue. Yuna already went to the Chamber this morning with the three of us. I wish Kimahri could've come."

I nodded as we left the gates, glancing at the silent temple behind us. Four years ago today, we'd slain Sin for good. Four years ago today, Tidus and Auron had left us. Four years, and so much had changed. And yet… as we walked up the hill toward the prayer statue, I glanced down at the little village below… so much was the same. I trailed off as Tidus stepped forward, coming over the hill a short while before I did. Yuna was kneeling before the statue, her head bowed. I watched as Tidus clumsily prayed before taking his place next to her. Wakka and Lulu stood to either side, and as I came up the hill, I stood behind Lulu. I'd only ever prayed when I thought the moment commanded respect. This moment certainly did, but that was not my way as a guardian, and so that was not my way now. We were quiet as the sun rose, touching every bit of the island and the world we had saved with its light.

We'd had an unspoken agreement to come together, during the morning. For the past years, Yuna had visited the temple in the early morning hours, accompanied by those guardians that had been watching over her when she entered her first Chamber of the Fayth. I joined them later. For the first two years, only the four of us had gathered paying our respects to the pilgrimage we'd completed and left behind in terms of years, but never in our hearts. Last year, Tidus had joined us, and I'd returned to Djose following breakfast.

Silently we stood, until footsteps approached from the beach pathway. I glanced toward the walkway and smiled softly as Kimahri's catlike figure approached. We hadn't expected him to leave his sacred mountain and his people. Silently, he took his place next to Yuna, a silent guardian, as always. I could barely hear the whirring motor of the Celsius in the cove over the chirping of the birds, greeting the day.

Yuna finally stood and reached out to hug Kimahri. We took our hugs in the order in which we'd joined the group, Lulu after Kimahri, and me last. With happy tears in her eyes, Yuna looked at each one of us. "We're all here…"

Wakka watched the glittering ocean waters. "Not all of us."

"No, he's here, too. He always popping in when he's least welcome." Tidus followed Wakka's gaze as we chuckled together. "Giving advice no one understands or asks for, having answers without having any possible and conceivable way of knowing them… that sort of thing."

We stood together for a long while, watching the ocean. Each of us looked toward Zanarkand in the north, the ruins that continued to stand as a testimony to the people lost and the dreams faded. The monkey population was finally under control once again… Paine and Baralai had put plenty of work into that, and into the preservation of the old city. The ruins were off limits to people not accompanied by the Praetor, the Mevyn, the Machine Faction Leader, or those who had embarked upon the Final Pilgrimage, as it was called now… us.

The village below was beginning to stir with the coming of light. Distantly, I could hear mothers calling to their children to wake up, dogs barking… the six of us trekked silently down the hill and into the village once more. An old woman waited in the center circle, and she offered us rolls and juice for the morning. The elders always anticipated our morning jaunt, and for the last four years, one had been waiting with breakfast upon our return. We sat together and ate, each of us remembering the fire which had burned upon the ground and in our souls inside the City of the Dead. Today was a day of remembrance. As the village woke up, we took the time to be silent together once again.

* * *

I sat in bed, Telan and Vidina sitting up in my lap. The younger was still wobbly as she sat, and I kept a supportive hand behind her back each time she looked as if she would flop over. Vidina was surprisingly gentle with his small friend, offering her various teething rings each time her small hands dropped the one she was currently drooling on.

Rikku entered the room quietly as I listened to the young ones chattering. She smiled and sat next to me, careful not to knock Telan over with the sudden weight change. The cloth in her hand held two rolls, and a cup of juice provided something to drink. I grinned and caught her lips in a gentle kiss as she handed the food over. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_. I'm sorry we were gone so long… Kimahri came. We took a little longer than normal… it's the first time we've all been together today since… well, since then."

I glanced at the children and took a bite of a roll. "I understand. They were good, just woke up and started baby talking to each other… well, Vidina is actually talking, sort of, and Telan's baby talking, but still…" Rikku laughed, and I stuck out an instinctive hand as our daughter began to wobble. She dropped her teething ring once more.

Vidina had another ready. "Here!" he said jubilantly, holding out another toy for the baby. She cooed at him and took it from his hands, sticking it in her mouth and gumming it without pretense. We both laughed at the sight. As I finished my breakfast, Rikku got the two cleaned up and lathered some of Lulu's special sunblock on their bare skin. The rest of the day would be spent on the beach, according to Rikku, and Telan would be staying under a big umbrella so she wouldn't get any sort of sunburn.

I grinned when Rikku fussily placed a little pink hat on her head, and plucked a blue one from Vidina's bag and plopped it on his head. I packed up the toys and slung both diaper bags over my shoulders as we got ready to go, sighing in disbelief at the fact that I, Gippal, was carrying diaper bags. "Rikki?"

"Yeah?"

I tucked the shabby ring box into my pocket before looking over at her once more. "How many people are going to be down at the beach?"

She shrugged, settling Telan on one hip and Vidina on the other as we made our way out of Tidus' hut. "It depends. There's always lots of food and stuff, so the whole village will turn up at some point, but usually… at least last time I stayed the whole day… we stay with our own little group of friends. Why?" She asked as Paine approached us from Yuna's tiny hut across the way. She handed Telan over to Paine and looked back at me expectantly.

"Just wondering."

* * *

Lulu sat with the baby and the toddler as the rest of us horsed around in the shallow water. Yuna fell face first into the water when Gippal shoved her from behind. With a growl of fake anger, she sprang up and began to chase him through the shallows. I whistled as he ran, shirtless and tan, through the water. Paine laughed next to me. "Do you remember the last time we had to haul out the bathing suits?"

"The hot springs… that was pretty fun." As Gippal tripped in the water and fell over with a loud cry, and Yuna toppled down over him, squealing as she too was lost under the water, I laughed. "I think this is better, though."

"Yeah, me too." She sighed and glanced up at the sun, shading her eyes with a hand. "I'm gonna go help Lu… I can't believe you fools left her alone with both little monsters." I shrugged and gave her a small wave as she walked off across the sand.

"Rikku!" Tidus called, tossing a blitzball over to me. "Whaddya say?"

I shrugged and tossed it back, walking toward where he stood. "I'm not up to snuff on the blitzball, I don't think." I looked over my shoulder. "Tubby!"

Wakka turned to me from where he and the soaking Yuna and Gippal were chatting with another villager. "Don't call me that!"

"Come play blitz with Ti!"

The two men left Yuna with the villager and made their way towards us. Gippal cracked a smile at me and I sighed, grinning back. "Can I join in on the blitz, too?" he asked, expertly twining an arm around my waist as I twirled a strand of hair around my finger. Tidus rolled his eyes and pointed at Gippal moodily.

"Only on one condition."

Gippal raised a playfully dangerous eyebrow. "Oh?"

Tidus nodded. "You know what it is already. Let's blitz!" Wakka and Tidus took off across the water, putting a bit of space between the two sides. I began to walk toward the shallows when Gippal caught my hand lightly in his.

"Rikks, stay with me." He smiled and I grinned, that strange weak in the knees feeling coming over me. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "I can't win with these two… help me out, will ya?"

I sighed and cocked my head to the side, smiling back at him as I chewed on my lower lip. "I dunno…"

"Please? You know you blitz like a pro… we make a good team." I laughed as he pouted. "You know you wanna…"

"What do I get out of it?" I asked with a smile, looking back to where Tidus and Wakka were passing the ball back and forth.

He shrugged. "A kiss-" his lips met mine in a gossamer touch "-and a lifetime of happiness."

I giggled and pushed him away, holding my arms up as a signal to start the game. "Yeah, yeah, fine."

* * *

I looked out over the glittering bay as I sat next to where everyone had gathered to eat. Telan was in my arms, chewing tiredly on one of Vidina's precious toy blocks. The day was almost over… I smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead. She would sleep tonight, I knew, for she'd only had a small nap during the entire busy afternoon. I'd never attended a celebration with the actual pilgrimage group all in one place. It was rowdy and loud, boisterous and even insane at times. It was fun, though, more fun than I'd anticipated from an ex-summoner and her devoted guardians.

We'd wasted the day away, swimming around the cove, playing blitzball or endless water games. A huge tug of war with the villagers had even taken place after mid-day, and all of us were shamed to say that the women had won. Vidina and Telan had bonded throughout the day on their spot under the big umbrella. Today was the first time any of us had truly heard her giggle, and it was the most adorable sound I'd ever heard. My baby girl was growing up, despite how much I wanted her to stay small. She squealed excitedly when Rikku and I took her into the water, clapping her little hands clumsily as the waves touched her squirming feet.

And yet, the one thing I'd been trying not to think about was finally there. I had to ask her. Tonight was the night, the only time, the perfect time. One year ago, we'd been completely together for the first time. One year ago, we made our baby girl together, and one year ago, I'd fallen head over heels in love. What better day to ask her?

Sighing heavily, I pulled my eyes away from the glowing ocean and walked back over the tired sand to where Yuna was sitting. She looked up with a grin, setting her plate of food in the sand. "She tired?"

I nodded and scanned the sands for Rikku. She was lying on a blanket with Tidus and Paine, laughing with them. I grinned softly and handed the baby to her. "Yeah… You haven't had much time with her, so I figured you'd want to take her for a little while."

Yuna laughed and pulled the baby close. Telan rested her head on Yuna's shoulder, staring up at me with a coo of exhaustion. "You bet I want her!" She rolled her eyes and glared over at Tidus. "Y'know, seeing you and Wakka with kids makes me wonder what Tidus would be like with one of his own…"

"He'll be great when you two decide to start a family." I grinned and pointed at the pier. "I'm going to go over there for a little bit… need to think for awhile."

"About what?"

I sighed as I strolled away. "Life, love, and how to put the two together." She laughed at me as I crossed from sand to wood, and I smirked. I wasn't joking.

* * *

Yuna sat down next to me, Telan in her arms, and I grinned up at her, relaxing in the late evening warmth. The baby had her fingers around a strand of Yuna's hair, but Yuna didn't seem to mind. I laughed inwardly as I watched Tidus' eyes go gentle at the sight of Yuna with a baby.

"Did Gippal hand her off?"

"Yeah… he said he thought I'd like to hold her for a little while."

I sighed and rolled onto my stomach, tickling Telan's foot lovingly. "Did he go to get something to eat? I haven't seen him eat all night."

"No, he went over onto the pier. Said he wanted to think." She bounced Telan softly as she whimpered tiredly. "Go to sleep, girly, you've been so good all day…"

I smiled as I pushed myself onto my knees and reached over to straighten her little dress. "Yes, she has. I'm a proud Mama." Tidus chuckled beside us, pointing at Paine. Lulu and Wakka were curled together under the umbrella, and Vidina was falling asleep where he sat, destroying the sand temple Wakka had spent an hour making. Paine sat next to him, surprisingly gentle with children. She picked him up and he instantly closed his eyes, leaning on her shoulder as she walked him up and down the beach.

"They both did well, today. Last year, Vidina was just a little thing, like Telan, and Yevon, was he crabby. Lu left halfway through the day to calm him down, and he was still pissed off when we got back to the village." He glanced over his shoulder toward the pier. "He looks kinda lonely over there, Rikku. You should go take him some food."

With a sigh, I stood up and grabbed a pair of my old green shorts from my bag, pulling them on over my bathing suit. "I'll be back in a little bit!" I called over my shoulder as I walked to the buffet line.

"No, you won't!" he called back.

Truth be told, I was worried about Gippal. Since we'd gotten to Besaid, he'd been a little off. I couldn't place what was different, but he seemed more cautious. I hadn't mentioned it so far, because I didn't want to bring up something that wasn't there, but his lack of eating wasn't something I was willing to overlook. With a plate piled high with meat and island delicacies that I knew he loved, I strolled over to the pier.

"Gippal?" He looked up at me, breaking his gaze with the water below, meeting my eyes instead. "I brought you something to eat." He smiled up at me holding out a hand for the plate.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I thought you might be hungry. You've been running around all day without eating a thing." Carefully, I lowered myself onto the smooth wood of the old pier, hanging my feet next to his over the side. He set his plate in his lap and took a bite out of a sweet honey roll, sighing deeply.

"I really like this island, Rikki."

I grinned and leaned my head on his shoulder, pulling him closer and stealing a bite of his honey roll. "Reminds me of Home. Remember? When we used to sit out at the docks before salvage missions and all that? Before you left for Crimson?"

He laughed. "Yeah. And I'd push you into the water and you'd get pissed and drag me in, too."

With a giggle, I made a face at him. "Yeah, well… you used to piss me off pretty easily, way back when."

He shrugged and tugged on my hair lightly. "What can I say?"

With a sigh, I looked at him as he ate. His eyes shifted upon the water, as he sat quietly, kicking his feet in the open air unconsciously. With a smile, I dug in the pocket of my shorts. The same coin that he'd offered me on our first night here rested there, and I pulled it out, flipping it at him as it sparkled in the evening sun. "Gil for your thoughts?"

He smirked at me, shaking his head. "I don't know if I should tell you."

With a sigh, I reached around his waist, tugging him closer as I kissed his bare shoulder. "Why not?"

He frowned and set his plate of food to the side, putting an arm around my shoulder as he nuzzled my loose hair. "You might not like what I'm thinking…"

I let my hand rest over his tight muscles, and sighed when he didn't relax. A hint of worry was starting to bite at my mind. Nervously, I pulled back a bit, staring him in the eyes. "Is it… bad?"

He tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "I don't think it is. I'm just scared that you won't like it."

With a small smile, I kissed his hand, pressing it against my cheek. "Just tell me. I don't want you to be scared of what I like or don't like." He grinned and let me pull him in for a slow and deliberate kiss. Our lips grazed over one another softly, barely touching in a gentle, leisurely union. His sweet breath whispered against my cheek as he pulled back and kissed each of my closed eyelids and the tip of my nose.

"Marry me…" he whispered softly, so quiet that I thought my imagination was playing tricks on me. I pulled away quickly, staring at him uncertainly. He just cupped my face in his hands, brushing his thumbs over my rosy, blushing cheeks. "I love you… I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He reached clumsily into his pocket and pulled out a shabby box, opening it up to pull out the least shabby ring I'd ever seen. He kissed my stunned lips softly once more, and ran a nervous hand through his hair. "That's what I'm thinking, Rikku…" A nervous smile graced his features. "I really hope y-you like that."

* * *

Her face was unreadable. Her eyes were concentrated on my chest, though it didn't seem as if she could actually see me. My heart was pounding, but I didn't want to say anything. I was already afraid enough as it was. My nervous smile began to fade as I waited for her to say something.

Finally, she met my eyes. I ran my thumbs over her smooth cheeks once more. Her eyes were teary… that frightened me. "Rikku?"

"I thought you weren't ready," she stated softly, shaking her head between my hands. Her bottom lip quivered softly, and I hesitantly pressed a finger to it, trying to be tender.

"What do you mean?"

"You… you said so. Y-you said that you d-didn't want to get married or have a f-family yet… but you didn't have a choice a-about Telan, really…" she began to chatter softly, but I pressed against her lip more firmly, silencing her.

"That was a long time ago." The ring that I still held tightly between two fingers slipped dangerously as my hands became slick with nervousness. I carefully set it to the side in the center of a large plank to be certain that it wouldn't fall through into the water before looking back at Rikku with wide eyes.

"But… but…"

"I want this, Rikku. I love you. What I said in the past was what I said in the past. What I'm telling you now is what matters. But I need to know how… how you feel."

A single tear leaked from her eye, uncontrolled, and I kissed it away and she shook in my arms. Tenderly, I kissed her lips softly, trying to control my own nervous tension and make her comfortable. I was afraid, and it seemed that she was, as well. Her fear was more important to me, though.

When I pulled away, her beautiful eyes were shut, and she was biting her lip again. I played with her hair distractedly. "Say something, Rikku… please…"

She looked at me, and with a heavy emotion in her voice, she took my hand in hers. "I love you."

Shakily, I gave her an uncertain smile. "Does that mean that you'll be my girl, then? Forever and always?" My confident external appearance, or what I hoped was one, was false. Completely false.

She smiled softly as the tears began to leave her eyes in a flash flood, as she brushed her cheek against mine and whispered in my ear, "Forever and always…"

Relief flooded through every particle of my being as I kissed her again. I felt like fireworks were exploding in my brain. Numb, I remembered to grab the ring, and with a small laugh, I slid it onto her finger. She hugged me tightly as I stroked her hair, as both of us laughed happily together under the setting sun.

* * *

_So, big thanks to **FairyIce** in helping me get past the fear of being too cheesy in that last section, and for all of the encouragement. Thanks to all you reviewers, as well! I really hope you guys liked this chapter, it turned out pretty much how I wanted it to. I'm going to start 22 in the morning, but for now… sleep. Thanks for reading!_

_Please Read and Review!_


	22. Home Again

_**The Echo  
**__**Chapter 22: Home Again**_

* * *

_There I was, lying in the sand, waiting for the sun to rise. The night had been colder than usual, a sign of the heat to come. Sunrise was my favorite part about Bikanel, other than teasing Rikku. It was the time in which a transition took place and everything took on a different light. A person could think during a sunrise, and the thoughts would make some real sense. Sunset had that effect, as well, but sunrise was my time. The first rays of light peaked over the far away dunes in a slow and uncertain manner, as if they wanted to continue to rest. However, the sun decided against more sleep, as it always did, and it rose into the sky, a shining ball of brightness that, at this hour, could be admired without being blinding. _

_But if you weren't careful, you'd be blinded no matter what the hour. You'd be so blind you'd think the moon was the sun, even if nothing else could possibly shine as bright._

* * *

Djose Temple was still the same old, dreary place when we returned. The bridges that led to the temple were still the same ancient grey stone. The little office outside that was the continental headquarters for the diggers on Bikanel remained rather shabby. But, all the same, all three of us sighed with relief as we walked around the side of the temple toward the living quarters in the back. Telan was edgy from being held and unable to move for the long walk along the Highroad. I was edgy from the long walk, as well. Gippal hadn't allowed me to beat on any of the stray fiends that we'd passed. I'd been pretty angry, but it was only Rikku-anger. The kind that vanished as soon as something shiny caught my eye.

The house sat silently in the far corner of the living area, just as it always did. As we walked down the pathway, Gippal grinned at me. "Good to be home…"

I nodded and smiled as I opened the gate and walked into the little yard. "Tell me about it." With a little sigh of relief, I pulled the key out of my pocket and unlocked the front door, opening it up. The house was just as we'd left it, little toys spread out across the living room, everything straightened. I set Telan down on the floor as we walked inside. She squealed with joy at being unrestrained and out of my arms. She wiggled to one side and the other, what Lulu had said was the pretense to rolling over, and I shook my head and put some toys closer to her so that she could play without having to try and sit up on her own or cry for us to get them for her. Once that was done, I flew across the room and jumped onto the couch, whooping before my face landed in a pillow.

"We're home!" I yelled loudly into the pillow. I heard a chuckle, and the sound of our bags hitting the ground. Fast footsteps. Gippal landed atop my back a few seconds later. With a loud groan, I kicked him lightly and flipped over beneath him. "That hurt, y'know!"

"Shut up." He stopped supporting his weight, and I groaned once again in jest before his lips… well, attacked my own. I squealed loudly against him as he began to tickle my sides. "Ssh!" he whispered, sucking on my bottom lip.

But I couldn't. I giggled and squirmed, pushing him away as I struggled to catch my breath. He winked down at me as he reluctantly pulled back. "I like it when you wiggle."

"You pervert!" I laughed, leaning back against the headrest. He'd piqued my interest, to say the least. "Where did that come from?"

He grinned and kissed my jaw-line playfully. "I haven't been able to touch you for days."

I cocked my head to the side, thinking. "I believe that you've kissed me quite a bit in the last few days, Gippy."

"And that's about as far as anything could possibly get, so I dealt with it. But we're home now, and there's nobody to interrupt us." He nipped at my neck, and I squirmed once more as he reached up my shirt to tickle my stomach. I caught sight of my ring, the engagement ring that my mother too had once worn, and I grinned. Every time I looked at it, I felt giddy.

"Maybe I should go put the baby in her crib…"

Gippal glanced over at Telan, who was busy with her toys on the ground. "She's fine." His hand went a bit further up my shirt, and I squeaked. He just laughed and roughly pulled the tank top over my head, tossing it carelessly to the side. I giggled as he pulled my arms above my head and pulled at the strings of my customary bikini top.

"Gippal, she's right there!"

"She's a baby. It's no big deal."

"…men…"

* * *

I was calm for the first time since Cid had called me out to Bikanel. I watched the late night recap of the day's blitz qualifiers in Luca Stadium, taking a deep breath as I listened to the heavy rains falling.

I hadn't realized how much I'd missed that sound, while we were in Besaid. I liked listening to the ocean waves at night, as well, but I was a man of extremes. I either needed cold, harsh rain, or hot, harsh desert.

"The Al Bhed Psyches are the front runners for next year's Luca Tournament, followed by the Besaid Aurochs. This is the first time that the Goers have been shoved to the side by two of the worst teams in Spira's history, folks! And they're not happy about it… team captain-"

I stopped listening as Rikku sauntered into the living room, grinning at me as she sat next to me on the couch. "Why are you awake?"

I shrugged. "Just wanted to think."

"About?" she asked quickly, her inquisitive nature getting the better of her, as usual.

"I think we should get married in the blitzball stadium. Right before a game, you know? It would be a great motivator for the Psyches to win that tournament next year, don't you think?" She punched my arm and I whined loudly.

"Please tell me you're not serious!"

"No, Rikki, I'm not serious."

"Good. I would have to punch you if you were."

"I think you already did that!" I exclaimed, pouting as I glanced down to my arm. She just giggled and turned to face me, tucking her legs underneath her.

"You big baby. Seriously, what were you thinking about?"

Mischievously, I pulled her forward and kissed her hotly, entangling her hair in my hands as she responded. I licked over her lips in excitement and she tried to pull away.

"Gipp!"

I made my way to her earlobe as she whined about my attempt at distracting her, removing the feather earring, and setting it on the coffee table. Gently, I kissed her earlobe and whispered, "I was thinking about how wonderful it is that you're mine."

She sighed heavily. "Don't you try to romance me… I've already given in to you today, mister, you're not lucky enough to get lucky twice in one day."

"Yes I am. I'm plenty lucky. And I'm not trying to romance you."

She glanced at me disapprovingly. "Sure you're not. First, you seduce me in front of your own daughter, and now you try to flatter me with pretty words." I laughed at the glint of humor in her eyes. "I won't have that, Gippal. I will not."

"Sure you won't."

"I won't!" she exclaimed, her hair falling into her eyes as I laughed at her expression. She giggled, falling forward onto my chest, hugging me tightly around the waist as I ran my fingers through her plait of molten gold.

"It is wonderful that you're mine, Rikku. I'm being honest. I'm not romancing."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm not…"

"I know…" She smiled and kissed my neck softly before rolling off of me, into the small bit of space between my body and the back of the couch. "I love you."

"I love you, too…" With a happy sigh, I reached over and grabbed the bowl of popcorn from the coffee table and offered it to her, curling up with her in contentment as we watched the rest of the report on the scandals of the team captain of the Luca Goers.

* * *

I sat on top of a large tank that had been dug up just before we'd left for Besaid, and had finally arrived here from the Moonflow-Bikanel transport ships. I had some welding to do on the top, but I didn't want to. Reluctantly, I tugged at my engagement ring, holding it in my fingers for a moment before shoving it moodily back on my finger.

"Rikku! Take the damn metal already!" Karaa called up to me, wavering atop the ladder as she struggled to hold my heavy sheets of welding material.

"Oopsies…" I said, reaching down to tug them up next to me atop the tank. She glared at me as she lost her balance when I quickly took the metal away from her hands. Grumbling, she hauled herself up the ladder and sat next to me.

"Thanks for tryin' to kill me! I know we're both supervisors and all now, but honestly, you aren't going to be paid anymore if I'm gone, and it's not like you need more pay, 'cause you live with the boss, you lucky bi-" Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of me fiddling testily with the ring again. I really, really didn't want to have to take it off, but I really, really didn't want it to be damaged, either. "_What is that_!" she exclaimed loudly, the whole room silencing around us at the echo of her raucous voice.

"It's… well… it's a ring. Why?"

"**_What is that_**!" she exclaimed again, grinning like a fool. I could see Brother far below, chuckling as he wheeled his dolly full of deliveries into the room.

"A ring. Karaa, be quiet, people are staring at you. You're strange already, don't make it worse by shout-"

"**_It's an engagement ring, isn't it_**!" She proceeded to shout at the top of her lungs. I slapped my hand against my forehead, the sound of cranium hitting palm following Karaa's voice around the large workroom.

"Shut up!" I hissed. She just laughed as I grabbed her and covered her mouth with my hand, silencing her for the moment. I began to raise my voice in distressed anger. "You don't need to tell the whole world that I'm engaged! I can do that myself, thanks very much!" She struggled to speak against my hand, sighing when I refused to release her. "No talking. You promise? If I let you go, you will not speak of this loudly anymore. No more!" I felt like I was scolding Telan, which I rarely did… though I imagined when I needed to, it would be something like this. "Got it?"

She nodded and I let her go, keeping myself prepared to grab her again. "It's real pretty," she whispered. I giggled.

* * *

Loud music began to blare two nights later. Brother had taken Telan only an hour before, since Gippal and I had received an invitation to a small gathering that some of the most important proprietors of the Faction were holding.

"Gippal! We have to leave! Turn the sphere off!" I called as I finished my hair.

"It's not me," he called back from the hallway. I turned and watched as he walked past the door, a confused look upon his face. A few moments later, as I applied some gloss to my lips (something I never really bothered with unless I would be attending high society parties or meetings), he appeared in the doorway to the bathroom. "Looks like the Faction is having a party. Tables, chairs, and food everywhere, music is shaking all the windows."

I pouted unhappily. "Oh, can't we go to that instead? Please?"

He shook his head, a disapproving look on his face. "No, we need these people to invest. I can't steal from your father's bank account forever."

"Yes, you can. I give you permission."

"Rikku…"

I whined again, shrugging a sweater on over my dress. "Fine."

"Let's go. The sooner we get there-"

"-the sooner the torture begins."

"The sooner we can leave."

Reluctantly, I grabbed my purse and walked into the living room in front of Gippal. The only way he'd get me to go was if he walked directly behind me and stayed alert. I'd always had that tendency to let my attention wander at the worst of times and chase butterflies. With a sigh, I giggled in amusement. "At least you're wearing a tie."

"I look like an idiot in a tie."

"No, you look adorable."

"…I look like an _idiot_."

The two of us exited the house and the front yard, securing both the door and the little gate before we walked down the path to the middle grounds of the housing area. Just as we emerged from behind the few trees that Gippal had made an effort to save from Macalania and planted here, we were _in_ the party. Food tables were everywhere. The music was louder than anything I remembered hearing since my days on the salvage ship before we'd killed Sin.

Gippal grinned wistfully. "This is an Al Bhed party, for sure. C'mon, let's leave. Maybe we can catch the tail end after this thing."

"The tail end! Uh-uh, buddy, we're leaving A.S.A.P.! I wanna dance!" I swayed with the thumping music, gasping in shock as someone grabbed me and pulled me into a nearby group of partying employees.

Karaa laughed at me. "Then dance! You have nowhere to go."

"Yeah, we do, we have to go to some stupid fancy party thing with fishie eggs as an entrée… blech."

Gippal was frowning in confusion as Karaa fished around in her pocket for something. I looked back at him questioningly, and he pointed across the clearing. I followed his gaze, and a confused look crossed my face as well when I found that I was staring at the very people who were supposedly holding the 'gathering' that evening.

Suddenly, I heard little party poppers go off all around the clearing, and I jumped back into Gippal's arms as a loud chorus of "Surprise!" echoed through the air.

Karaa grinned and tossed us tiny, plastic noisemakers. "Happy Engagement!" she cried out, while the rest of the party goers began to clap jubilantly.

Gippal and I laughed in disbelief as the music returned to full volume.

* * *

I'd finally taken off my stupid, idiot tie, and both Rikku and I had gone back to the house to change into something more comfortable. I couldn't help but give Karaa credit for planning the whole shindig behind our backs. _I think she deserves a raise…_

I danced with Rikku, swaying to the music in a purely Al Bhed fashion. Spira was beginning to bust out of its mold, sure, but we Al Bhed had always known how to let loose at a party. Lady Yuna and Tidus couldn't have held a candle to us if they tried.

"Great party!" she called over her shoulder to me, laughing over the loud bass of the sound system.

"I'm a proud bossman…" I called back, making her laugh. The song ended, and the two of us stopped dancing, panting in the middle of the floor, crowded by the mass of dancing people around us. Rikku was flushed. I took her hand and led her out of the group of people. "You look like you need water."

"Yeah… yeah, I'm… what's the word? Parched?" She laughed heartily at herself, the drinks she'd had at the beginning of the party making her even more ridiculous than she already was. "Oh, that's a funny word… parched!"

With a heavy sigh, I told her to stay put as I went off to get some water from the tables that were placed at strategic points among the crowds. When I finally worked my way through the line, I grabbed two cups of water from the table. I began to walk back toward Rikku, who I was shocked to see had remained in her spot like I'd told her to, but a hand caught my shoulder. A slightly familiar worker, one of Karaa's new interns, stood there.

"Sir?"

"Yeah, hiya."

"There's someone in your office, sir. Said they needed to speak with you. It can't wait."

I frowned, slightly, unsure. "They didn't see the massive party going on?"

"I don't know, sir, I went in to get more ice, and they requested to see you." He waited patiently as I stood there, confused, before remembering my manners.

"Thanks… I'll go up and check things out. Enjoy the party!" He nodded and rejoined the crowd. I frowned at the ground for a moment before returning to Rikku.

"I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me. Me and my parchedness." She giggled, and I sighed heavily, handing her a cup.

"I need to go up to my office, someone is here to see me. Will you be alright out here?"

She looked around for a moment and then pointed at a group of dancing people not far off. "I'll go dance with Karaa while you're gone, 'kay?"

"Okay… have fun. I'll come find you when I'm done up there, alright?" I asked, setting my own cup down on the table. She nodded and stood up, skipping over to the group in her usual jumpy manner as I walked hurriedly toward the temple.

As I walked up the stairs and down the hall to my office, I couldn't help but wonder who had the nerve to interrupt my engagement party.

Once I was inside, it didn't take me long to figure it out. A blond haired figure turned and stared straight at me with a smirk on her face.

Adena.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" I asked, in shock. She remained seated as I stood, clueless, in the doorway, feeling like a stranger in my own office. "I sent you to Bikanel for a reason."

"Yes, I know. And Nhadala sent me back."

"Sure she did."

She sighed and stared out the window, tapping her foot on the floor. The echo of her heels against the stone was driving me insane already. Her being here was already torturing my presence. I hadn't forgotten the reason Rikku had left and gone to Baralai those months ago just yet. I doubted I ever would. It was my stupid mistake. _She_ was my stupid mistake.

"How've you been, Gippal?" she asked. An innocent question; it dripped with poison in my eyes. I could feel the tension radiating from my own uncertainty.

"Wonderful. Why are you here? I transferred you to Bikanel. If Nhadala fired you, that's none of my business. She had good reason, I'm sure, if she did. And you know I won't hire you back."

"She didn't fire me. She just didn't want me doing manual labor, and that's all that's out on Bikanel, so she sent me back." She rolled her eyes, sighing heavily as she stared back at me.

With a cocky smirk, I leaned against the doorjamb, trying to forget about what had happened with this manipulative woman those months ago. "So, she _did_ fire you."

"No."

"Then why in the hell are you here?"

"I'm pregnant. Didn't think you'd want me endangering your child while slaving away under the hot desert sun." It was her turn to flash me a cocky smile, as my own face went white.

* * *

_So… this is the last chapter of this fic. I'm sorry it took forever… I've had a lot of things happen in my life since my past update: Senior Project, Senior Paper, another death, a few mental breakdowns, and other things I truly don't want to mention. Life's been hard lately, so I hope you forgive me. Since life continues to be difficult at this point in time, I'm not sure how soon the sequel will be posted. It will be titled **Journey's End**. In any case, it has a plotline. I hope I managed to throw another curveball here. That was the aim. I really like getting you all angry at me, and I can't figure out why… anyway, thank you all so much for your never ending support! Thanks _**FairyIce**_ for all of your advice and dedication! _

_-Jezzi_


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